


Auradon Sky Prep

by LalaRose27



Category: Descendants (2015), Disney - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern: Still Have Powers, Attempted Murder, Bullying, Child Abuse, Child Neglect, Dogs, Drug Use, Electrocution, F/F, F/M, Fire, Food, Forced Self Harm, Gender Identity, M/M, Mind Control, Multi, Murder, OOC, Panic Attacks, Poison, Police Brutality, Polyamory, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Recreational Drug Use, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Harm, Skinning, Sky High - Freeform, Tasers, Theft, Underage Drinking, Violence, Vomiting, explicit violence, flaying, humans as dogs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-27
Updated: 2018-01-06
Packaged: 2018-05-16 12:43:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 78,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5829403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LalaRose27/pseuds/LalaRose27
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sky High AU: The Four are children of super villains trying to make it through high school and become as great (if not better) super villains than their parents. </p><p>Mal wants to prove to her mother that she can be as good, or even better than her mother. She also wants to rule the world by her mother's side. World domination here she comes!</p><p>Evie wants to land a rich boy so she can afford a great lawyer for her mother. She also wants to seek revenge on her older half-sister.</p><p>Jay wants to have fun and not just steal things for Jafar all the time. He also wants to get his father's super suit out of that dusty museum and use it for himself.</p><p>And Carlos? He just wants superpowers and to make it out of high school alive. He's glad to be part of their plans at all.</p><p>Unfortunately silly things like crushes, rivalries, grades, and schoolwork keep interfering with their plans.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The First Morning

It's the first day of school and the Rotten Four were excited. Maybe excited was a strong word, but they were looking forward to going to their parents' school and becoming as bad of villains as them. Well Mal was, the other three didn't give a damn. They just enjoyed wreaking havoc among Auradon. Mal looked forward to school the most. She checked over her outfit- a purple studded leather vest, mesh top, tights with a strip of leather on the side, finger less gloves, wedge sneakers, and dragon necklace. She looked wicked fierce. She walked down the stairs to find her mother looking over her old yearbook.

"Oh Mal darling look, it's your mother. Don't I look frightening?" She pointed the picture of herself with an evil smirk.

"Terrifying." Mal answered looking over her mother's shoulder.

"I had such wonderful memories of my time at Sky High. Terrorizing the Sidekicks and Heroes, making the teachers' lives hell, cursing anyone who got in my way." She sighed , smiling with nostalgia before snapping the book shut and turning to her daughter."And now it's your turn to make memories. Make sure you seize every possibility you can to ensure people how absolutely evil you are. Follow my footsteps in becoming the most evil villain in all of Auradon!"

Mal looked terrified for a moment before recomposing herself.

"Of course mother."

"Are you giving Mal another speech about how evil you were at her age?" Asked a bored voice from the back door. Grimhilde, or as she was more famously known as, the Queen stood there with a smile, leaning against the doorway. Her daughter, Guinevere, or Evie as everyone called her was walking behind her fixing her makeup staring into her mother's magic mirror. Evie was, as always, dressed to the nines like the Princess she is. Her red heart necklace and gold crown bracelet shined brighter than usual, her oversized dark blue leather poncho, slim fitting blue dress with a thick black studded belt across it, black lace socks, and cutout booties. She had her hair loose with a few tight braids preventing it from getting it into her face and a new tiara in her hair. Her lips were apple red and her eyelashes were as long as spider legs. Mal wondered if she woke up extra early to do this.

"Hey Mal!" Evie exclaimed rushing to her. "Can you believe that we're finally going to Auradon Prep? You've been dreaming about this day since forever!"

Mal couldn't help but smile "I cannot wait to start, I hear their Save the Civilian is the best one in the country. I cannot wait to show them my evil scheme at the end of the year."

"You'll be the first freshman to ever get into Advanced Save the Civilian!"

"What about you? You're going to check out their Chemistry class aren't you? I'm going to need some chemicals." Mal teased.

"Of course I'm going to be in Chemistry. I'm the Queen's daughter, it's my natural habitat." They both laughed. Evie's mother had poison generation, an ability that Evie had inherited. The boys run in with their parents walking behind them. 

"Guys, guys turn on the news. Gaston destroying downtown Auradon!" Jay yells grabbing the remote... Among other things. The screen turned to life and showed Gaston throwing columns into random buildings. LeFou, his sidekick ran behind him trying to keep up with him but he was having trouble seeing him with all the debris flying around. Once all the dust settled two figures appeared. Beast, the 'handsome' shapeshifter stood tall and proud. His partner, Beauty stood next to him eyes fiercely looking at Gaston, probably using her pheromone control to emit fear into her enemy. The boys groaned and Mal rolled her eyes. Evie was continuing to check herself in her mirror for flaws. The Mothers were laughing at Beauty's old yearbook picture.

"Ugh, why do the heroes have to ruin all the fun? There's nothing wrong with a little anarchy." Mal groaned.

"Gaston deserves it honey. He's getting sloppy in his schemes." Said her mother. It was true, Maleficent was 'old friends' with Gaston so they knew that ever since Beauty rejected his proposal to be his sidekick (and lover) he tried to show off what she was missing. And he was right. With every action he showed her what she was missing- a giant, sloppy mess of a hero turned villain. As if on cue, Beast turned into a giant bull and rammed into Gaston. Gaston flew back a few yards and Beast threw Beauty into Gaston. Beauty kicked Gaston and knocked him out cold. Lefau tried to run to his side but Beauty shot him a look that made him cower down in fear. The Four groaned. The heroes had won yet again. Mal checked her watch.

"Well that was a bust. Come on let's go to the bus."

They grabbed their bags, said their good-byes, and shuffled out the door. Cruella stopped her son before he went through the door.

"Make sure you come home in time for your chores."

"Yes mother." He ran out the door to catch up with the others.

They walked to the bus stop stopping every so often to 're-decorate' a mailbox or car.

The bus was there when they got there. Most of the powered kids from their neighborhood were the children if villains save the few children of sidekicks. Most of them were getting on the bus but stopped immediately when they saw the four and let them get on first. They took their seats in the back of the bus near Harriet Hook, and a girl with a lot of pink on. The Pink girl was chatting excitedly with Harriet and complemented her prosthetic legs.

Harriet had lost her legs in a home invasion when the police came to collect her father and his crew. Losing her legs have her unexpected powers that her father tried to support. It wasn't she enjoyed talking about but she liked it when people complimented her legs.  
Ace, Clover, and Diamond Miller, the Heart Queen's children sat near Harriet. Ace started to chat with Anthony Tremaine about 'ruling the school' while Clover rolled her eyes and put in her earbuds.  
The rest of the Freshman came into the bus and piled into the back of the bus.

"Is that everyone?" Called the bus driver. Taking their silence for a 'yes', he drove off to a construction site leading outside of the city to an unfinished bridge.

"Wait what are you doing?" Asked Evie in a panic when she realized that the bus was actually speeding up on the unfinished bridge.

"Oh my God it's a trap!" Screamed Mal as Jay pulled them into a pile wrapping his arms around them.   
The rest of the Freshman screamed as well. Anthony Tremaine shielded his face, Harriet hugged herself, Diamond, the daughter of the Heart Queen was stuttering on her words with her tears, and the pink girl was putting her seat belt on. The bus started to fall. They hadn't even started Freshman Year yet and they were all going to die!


	2. The Placement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Rotten Four are placed into two groups- Heroes and sidekicks, sorry Hero Support. Secrets are revealed, enemies are made, and alliances are tested. They are off to a great start to their Freshman Year.

"Freshman." Muttered the Driver, a small smirk forming on his face. He pressed his remote and the bus grew golden wings, flying them up towards the sky.

When everyone realized that they weren't going to die they awkwardly recomposed themselves. The Queen of Heart’s children, the Millers straightened themselves out, the Gastons tried to play it cool and make fun of the others, Anthony slowly took his hands away from his face, and Jay pushed everyone off of him, except for Carlos who he had to pry off of him.

All fear and embarrassment was gone and replaced with excitement once a Golden bridge formed the entrance to the school. They were almost there!

::::::: 

Ben was nervous. Although he was a Sophomore he was in charge of leading the incoming Freshman around Campus. He tightened his tie and checked the time. His girlfriend, Audrey, and boyfriend, Chad appeared on either side of him.

"Ben, there's a pair of twins you might be interested in knowing." Said Chad

"Who?"

"Gaston and Gaston Lagaffe."

"What kind of person gives their sons the same... Oh no. My parents just sent his dad to jail!" Ben put his hands in his hair, panic rising.

"Chad! Benny-boo doesn't need any more stress. Go check on Doug or something!" Scowled Audrey using her powers to calm Ben down. Estelle came bouncing down the steps. Her sister, Evangeline was not far behind carrying her books. Estelle jumped into Audrey's arms allowing her girlfriend to spin her around.

"The bus is almost here!" She told Ben giving him a kiss on the cheek. She headed out to her place in the school band. He straightened himself up, fixing any wrinkles in his outfit.

The bus descended into the school. The band played the school song. Everything was perfect. Ben let himself breathe for a moment. It was going to be all right.

Then two figures crashed onto the ground screaming. The rest of the students came out looking at the school in awe.

Audrey looked at the group. The two on the ground were fighting over some blue blanket or something. Two Chinese girls, one with an awful bob and the other with a pair of prosthetic legs. A pair of attractive twins who lost their looks quickly when they gave her a smug look. Three Indian kids- one dressed in the finest clothes, the second dressed in vintage preppy outfits with a single silver glove, and the third dressed like they were in a skate park. A dark haired boy who looked like the punk version of Chad, and a curvy girl whose outfit definitely went against the school dress code. A black girl with high cheekbones and another with Finally, a purple haired girl dressed in a lot of leather and her blue haired friend in a busy outfit. Were there any heroes here? All she saw were Sidekicks and Villains. Perhaps they would prove her wrong.

But there was something about that purple girl that did not sit well with her...

Ben walked up to the group a big smile that masked his nervousness. The group gave him a look and the two boys on the ground stopped fighting to give him the same look. His confidence faltered for a bit before Audrey gave him a 'boost'.

"Hello incoming Freshmen. Welcome to Auradon Preparatory, my name is Ben and this is Audrey." He went around trying to shake hands and was met with glares, and punches. The girl in all pink was the only one to shake his hand.

"I am going to show you guys around the school, and as long as you follow the rules I guarantee you won't fall off the campus."

"Five bucks the Gastons fall off before the end of the day." Mal whispered to Evie.

"Mal!” Evie gasped in faux horror “ That’s so mean. Have a little faith. I give them the end of the week."

"You're on." she laughed

****

"We are now nearing the end of our tour. I'm sure you are all aware of our wonderful 'Save the Civilian' course but before you are able to do that course the school requires you to to be sorted into two groups: Heroes and Hero Support." Ben said with a big grin. "I am going to leave you in the hands of our gym teacher, Coach Boomer." And with that the couple left and Coach Boomer appeared behind them.

"Welcome Freshman, I am Coach Boomer. You may not call me Boomer or Coach. Just Coach Boomer. Is that clear?” The group of Freshmen grumbled “Yes sir.” Coach Boomer took his glasses off and asked again.

“I asked IS THAT CLEAR?” He boomed. The sound waves knocked a handful of students down, including Carlos and the girl with a blue bow.

“Yes Sir!” They responded.

“Good. Today we will see if you belong to the Heroes or... To the Sidekicks." He sneered staring down at Carlos who swallowed. He stared down onto his list. "First up... Lonnie Li." The girl in the bob raised her hand and quickly ran to the stage. Coach looked at her from behind his glasses.

"I know your parents. Soldiers. Neither of them have got any powers. What can you do?" He stared at her with doubt. Lonnie looked irritated and confidently told him, " I am able to create a fire shield."

"Really?" He wrote that down and pulled out a remote. "Car."

A bashed up car fell from the ceiling on top of Lonnie. The whole class gasped in horror. Then the car started to rise and Lonnie was on one knee holding up the car with her shield of fire. The students were impressed. The Coach however was not.

"Can you do anything else?"

"No." Lonnie raised a brow. Wasn't this enough?  
"Sidekick." He said clicking his pen. Lonnie shot him a look but didn't say anything.

"Ace Miller..."

The Millers were up next. The eldest, Ace made the Coach do the funky chicken. Diamond sliced through the car with her prosthetic hand, and Clove made the Coach break dance.

"Heroes. Harriet Hook."

Harriet Hook, daughter of the Captain, walked onto the stage gracefully. The Coach raised a brow at her prosthetic legs. She showed her powers off- super strength and was put into heroes.  
Jane Godmother came up next and nervously told the Coach her powers- beauty inducement and plant communication. He hadn't given her a second thought before immediately sorted her into 'Sidekicks'.

Heroes... Sidekick.. Sidekick... Hero... Hero...Hero... Sidekick... Sidekick... Mal would always snicker at the sidekicks' disappointed faces. But she did memorize their abilities so she would decide who would make a useful servant to her when she and her mother took over the world.

They stopped half way through testing because Dr. Facilier's daughter, Freddie and Ursula's kid, Marina got into a fight with each other because Freddie called Marina a 'slut' and Marina tackled her to the ground trying to rip her tongue out. Coach had to break it up before Freddie could choke Marina with her 'shadows'.

"Okay we'll finish this after lunch. Guinevere Najimy you're up next." The Coach told Evie as he held the two girls by their collars far enough for them to not to grab each others hair. Evie and Mal high-five and discussed which one they would be showing off first.

The Freshman walked to the Cafeteria. On their way there the Headmistress, Ms. Godmother was there with a big grin on her face.  
"Jane how was the Assortment? Was all the training you did over the years pay off? I'm sure my darling girl did wonderful!" Headmaster Fairchild gushed and Jane blushed and hid behind her hair.

"Mom..." She groaned noticing the other Freshman behind her snicker. "You're embarrassing me... And I didn't do very well. I was... Sorted into... Sidekicks."

"It's called Hero Support darling. And you are wonderful. I was in Hero Support once and now look at me," she cupped her daughter's chin "I am one of the most famous Hero Supporters of all time and am teaching all of the would-be heroes, shaping the future." Jay had to laugh at the Fairy's little speech. All the sidekicks were essentially useless. There was no point in keeping with them. He thought. Ben and a young nerdy boy in a band uniform were walking towards them.

"Hello Freshman, Headmaster Fairchild always lovely to see you. How was Placement?" He looked at them with a big grin.

"It's not done yet. There was a fight." Clover answered in monotone "Where's the cafeteria?"  
"Oh well lunch hasn't started yet so you can't just..." The boy next to Ben said trailing off when he saw Evie talking to a mirror in someone's locker "What are you doing?"

Evie turned her head to look at him as if she just noticed his presence " I'm asking for directions. Who are you?"

"I'm Doug... And... That's a regular mirror from Walmart... How are you asking..."

Evie interrupted him "It's one of my powers. Come on guys Cafeteria is this way." She lead the way strutting down the hall, leaving Ben, Doug, and Ms. Fairy to stare confused.

In the cafeteria Jay used the money he 'found' to buy some food. Meanwhile the rest of them sat at their own table occasionally throwing food at other kids. Audrey went around the cafeteria introducing herself. When she came around to their table and put on a smile trying not to cringe at Jay and Carlos who were eating like wild animals.

"So how was the Placement test? You did well in sure."

"We haven't gone yet but we'll be doing great." Mal answered cockily, eyeing Audrey's outfit. Was that much pink legal?

"Well don't worry about being nervous, Headmaster Fairchild has asked me to supervise in case another fight happens. I'm sure you guys will do wonderful."  
Mal and Jay rolled their eyes and finished their meals. Why must squares take away all the fun?

"We'll see you guys later. Enjoy your lunches." She walked away with Jay blatantly staring at her ass. Carlos punched him and they started wrestling again.

The Freshman walked into the gymnasium once again with Evie eagerly waiting on the stage. Mal gave her thumbs up and blew a kiss. Coach Boomer walked onto the stage and asked what her powers were.

"I have poison generation, fortune telling, clairvoyance, and mirror combat." She said proudly

The Coach whistled at her powers. "Car!"

The car fell and on instinct Evie threw her hand up. A light blue substance came out of her hands and the car eroded enough so it didn't touch her hair.  
"Hero!" Coach Boomer yelled before muttering "... Or a villain, like her slut of a mother." Evie glared at him but smiled at her friends who all gave her high fives.

Jay teleported onto the stage next. Then he left. About a second passed by before he came onto the stage again, this time with a box of chocolate from a Candy Shop. The Coach did not hesitate before placing him in Heroes.

"De Vil!" Carlos paled and awkwardly walked onto the stage and whispered into the Coach's ear.

"No powers?" He laughed "I've met your mother. Come on make me do something. Dance. Sing." When he got no response he stopped smiling and grabbed Carlos by his shirt expecting the kid to give him a command. When he got none he dropped him.

"Sidekick. Honestly the kids they let into this place nowadays."

His friends stared shocked. Mal gave him a dirty look for not telling her he was powerless before the coach called her name.

"Malvolentia Chenoweth!"

Mal strutted onto the stage confidence radiating from her.

“It's Mal.”

Before Coach Boomer could ask what she could do, her skin turned into deep purple scales and her body grew larger. She grew to be almost nine feet tall towering over her classmates. Slowly a long scaly tail emerged from her tailbone. Her face became longer and her nose grew into a snout. Out of her mouth were sharp unused white fangs. Her eyes were flashing green frightening everyone except for Jay and Evie who both stood tall and proud smiling at their friend's draconian form.

Coach Boomer took a second to recollect himself before yelling, "Car!"

Before the car was even within a foot of Mal she began to blow red fire at it. Soon there was nothing left. A student fainted and Audrey was soon at their side still gaping at Mal. Mal slowly began to morph back to her human form with a smile plastered on her face. Her friends greeted her and congratulated her on scaring their peers.

"Hero!"

Coach Boomer continued calling people to demonstrate their powers and sorting into their respective categories. Afterwards Audrey caught up to Mal, a look of fear evident on her face.

"I saw you burn the car down, did you know Maleficent could do that?" Audrey smiled, hoping this girl was not a Maleficent enthusiast.

"Of course," she rolled her eyes "She is my mother." Nope not an enthusiast. She's worse. Audrey put on another fake smile.

"Oh? Wow, your mom? My mom's the lady she tried to kill. But don't worry, I don't blame her for that at all."

"Totally like I don't blame your grandparents at all for not inviting my mother to their stupid birthday or your mom's stupid Christening."

"Yeah, it's total water under the bridge." They both laughed fakely as Ben came to greet Audrey.

"Hey Hon." He kissed her on her cheek before addressing the Freshman's prescience.

"How was the Placement?"

"Great!" She answered in faux enthusiasm still glaring at Audrey who shot her a look in return.

"We're going to class now. We don't want to be late for our first day now do we?" Mal walked past him without another word and latched herself onto Carlos's arm. Her nails dug into him with enough pressure to get her anger across but not enough to make him bleed.

"Carlos, why didn't you tell us you didn't get your powers yet?"

"I-I-I was a little embarrassed. I mean I assumed they would develop eventually." His face became as red as his jacket. His voice got smaller. "I'm only thirteen so maybe they'll develop sometime this year."

"They'd better. I'm not going to have one of my friends- I mean minions be some powerless sidekick that needs to be dragged around. You may have a good brain but I can easily find someone else to replace you." Her venomous words hurt Carlos as he tried not to cry. Jay pushed Mal away from him.

"Back off Mal." He began to comfort Carlos wrapping his arm around his shoulder as he lead him to their next class.

Evie watched the scene with sorrow. Weren't she and Carlos friends? Why didn't he tell her? Evie grabbed Mal's arms before the purple haired girl could do anymore harm to Carlos.

"Mal let's go. I want to check out their chemicals. Maybe we can find one that you'd like to use. I need new chemicals to use." She dragged her in the direction of her next class. Mal's next class was the History of Heroes which was across the Chemistry Lab. Mal went with her but her eyes did not leave Carlos.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Audrey, Ben, Chad, Doug, and Estelle are in a polygamous relationship. Their relationship will be shown in better detail later on. Also, Harriet has peg legs that are shaped like hooks (think Gazelle from Kingsman) and is Chinese (because why not? Also, the greatest pirate in the world was Chinese so it makes sense that the most famous fictional pirate is Chinese). The Miller Triplets are the Red Queen's children, they are all Indian. Marina, Ursula's kid is obviously black and the curvy one in the scandalous outfit. If you are wondering how Mal could not have known about Carlos being powerless, it's because she assumed he inherited his mother's powers and never tested them on anyone. Also, in this fic Mal is cocky and selfish and showed her powers off more than the others.
> 
> Evie's Power- Mirror Oracle, Poison Generation, limited clairvoyance.
> 
> Mal's Power- Able to Shape-shift into a dragon (with draconian infusion), Amateur spell casting.
> 
> Jay's Power- Teleportation, absolute thievery, genie physiology.


	3. Classes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the Rotten Four's first class of the day. How do you think they will do?

        Evie was excited for her first time in Chemistry. Due to her abilities and intelligence in chemicals she was placed in the Sophomore Honors Class. All these new chemicals she could create and see would be perfect to put in herself. She was really pleased with that. She was not pleased to be partnered with the band geek she had seen with Ben earlier. It wasn't that he was unattractive, it was that he just wasn't as beautiful as Evie. On the upside however, she was directly behind Anthony's older hotter step-cousin. According to Anthony, Chad was very wealthy and handsome and athletic, and judging by his fine ass and even hotter face Anthony was right about two of those things. Hopefully he would be right about all three. And his hair was so nice and fancy. It was a nice change from the unkempt hair of the boys in her neighborhood. Chad turned around with a charming smile on his face.

 

"Hey," he said "I couldn't help but overhear you. Do you really think I have fancy hair?"

 

Evie turned pink. Had he heard her? "Wh- what? Omigosh did I say that out loud? Wow that's really... Yes your hair is really fancy." Evie was sure she was as red as her necklace by now. At least he was talking to her though... If only it were under better circumstances.

"It's fine Evie. He's a mind reader you didn't say anything." Reassured Doug who ruined the moment. She was talking to an older, hotter (hopefully richer) guy dammit! Chad chuckled when he read her thoughts. Then he read Doug's thoughts... All of which were yelling at him to go back to paying attention to their teacher.

 

"Aww Dougie are you jealous?" He teased before turning himself back around. Evie was currently glaring at Doug who paid her no mind as he was busy sorting out the papers their teacher gave them.

 

Meanwhile, in History Jay and Mal both sat next to each other. Jay was listening to music and playing with some coins he 'found'. Mal was listening to the teacher while simultaneously taking recon of her classmates. The teacher was done introducing himself and began to pass around some papers for the class.

 

"This is for the field trip we will have at the end of the Marking Period. It's to the Museum of Heroes. I'm sure many have been there already but they will have a special exhibit that we will get to see before the general public would. Please have these signed and returned by the end of next week." Mal rolled her eyes. She and her friends plus Carlos had already seen the so-called 'special exhibit'. It was just a collection of Heroes and their epic battles. All the boring stuff. When were they going to see the villains praised for once?

 

Marina already had her hand raised. "Right so I don't want to go to this. Do I still have to attend school if I don't go?"

 

"Well, as much as your presence would be missed so would your learning opportunity. I obviously can't force you to come to school. However just know much of what you're going to see on your Midterm will be at the museum." He smiled sweetly. Marina scoffed and slouched in her seat. Mal had to agree with her. Were they supposed to remember everything they learned at a museum by Midterms? Did they expect them to (assumingly pay to) go to a museum every weekend? They were teenagers and had other shit to do in their spare time. _But Mother does expect me to pass every subject with flying colors. I suppose there are worse things to do. None come to mind but I'm sure there are some._

 

Jay was completely oblivious to what was going on as he was now drumming along with the music of Metallica.

 

Meanwhile with the Sidekick's- sorry Hero Support, Carlos was sitting next to Lonnie and trying to figure out a way to get into Heroes to be with Jay and Evie. They were supposed to be taking notes on what makes a good Sidekick but Carlos was too distracted to pay attention. _Maybe I could fake having powers? Just pay some people to follow my commands? No... That'd probably backfire at some point. Maybe make a device that was too evil to be ignored? No I wouldn't be able to control it otherwise..._

"Hey, Carlos," said Lonnie jumping him out of his thoughts "What did you get for number four? The one about Team Go's death."

 

"Uhh, I said Detonator." He smiled fondly. Carlos remembered the day well. It was the day he saw how powerful the powerless could be. The man who built the machine was not a graduate of Auradon and despite never having any known super powered abilities of any kind was able to defeat a team of Supers with nothing but his brain and hard work. Carlos admired him, as a person with no abilities it was refreshing to see a so-called powerless person win. This sparked Carlos's interest in mechanics and villainy. Well maybe not becoming a villain but he was never going to tell Mal that... If she ever forgives him...

 

"Thank you. You know you seem pretty young for a Freshman. Did you skip a grade or something?"

 

"Yeah, I'm thirteen."

 

"Wow, that's cool." She seemed genuinely impressed. She had such a kind, sweet face and a warm aura totally different from the harsh, cruel faces and cold shoulders that he grew up with. He hoped they could become good friends.

 

"Time's up! Pass your papers to the front!"

 

The rest of the day was rather uneventful. The Rotten Four sat with each other on the bus. Evie and Jay were in the middle so Mal wouldn't harm Carlos in any way. When they landed in their neighborhood Jay and Carlos teleported away leaving Mal and Evie to walk home together.

 

"Did you see anyone you like yet?"

 

"The Heroes in our grade appear to have very big egos. They would be useful if they learned how to properly manage their powers but until then I’m not sure if dealing with their egos is worth it. As for the Sidekicks… I'm sure all of the Sidekicks will be of use. Their low self esteem and desire to prove themselves will be useful. It's a good thing Carlos is with them. He could sway them to be on our side."

 

Evie brightened at that "You decided to forgive him?"

 

"Not entirely but he is a good fill in until I can find someone with a brain as intelligent as his. Besides that whole ingenuine thing he had going on is sure to get people to be on our side."

 

"Oh. Well that's nice.” Evie wasn’t entirely happy that Mal went back to thinking of him as a pawn again, but he didn’t tell her about him not getting his powers yet knowing full well how angry Mal would be at his betrayal so perhaps he deserved Mal’s cold shoulder for a few days. She could only hope that Mal would forgive him soon without Carlos getting hurt first. Evie smiled again hoping to forget about these negative thoughts. Frowns cause wrinkles after all.

 

“Check out what I got from some of the chemicals in the Lab.” She skipped ahead, distracting Mal from her thoughts, brushing her hands against some ugly hydrangea bush. The flowers began to die slowly turning darker until they had decayed entirely. “Pretty cool huh?”

 

Mal smiled impressed with the decay of the flowers. “It’s totally wicked. Maybe one day you could use that to create a poison powerful enough to kill some people.”

 

“I hope so! I want to test it on Claudine Frollo. That nasty girl called me a tramp in History.” Evie glowered at the memory.

 

“Try to see if you can make a poison that can counter her pyromania. Maybe have her burn her insides. The bitch _must_ burn. And don’t be too upset, she’s just jealous she’s not as beautiful or cool as you. You must have sympathy for the girl, I mean with a father like that? She’s jealous her parents are lame in comparison to your mom.” Evie smiled at Claudine’s jealousy and walked beside Mal. Maybe she should create some makeup for Claudine to use. One that would burn that ugly face of hers right off…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Team Go is a reference to Kim Possible (Shego's family). Evie does not take being slut-shamed very well and it's her beserk button. One cannot slut-shame Evie and not expect any negative consequences.
> 
> Chad's power- Body Multiplication, Glass Transmutation, Telepathy


	4. Home (never) Sweet Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Home (never) Sweet Home. We get a look into the lives of our main characters, and I've got to say, it ain't pretty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for Child Abuse (especially for Carlos).   
> The reason for Cruella's powers will be revealed later.

At the De Vil residence Carlos was brushing one of his mother’s wigs. Jay had left him a while ago to run some errands for his father. Which probably meant he was in Dubai or something getting the crown jewels. Carlos tried not to feel jealous about Jay’s freedom. He knew Jay’s father kept him on a leash but with his powers he could go anywhere for as long as he wanted. Just as long as he brought back something for his father to sell of course. Carlos set the brush down to imagine the places Jay must go when his father didn’t need him.  _ It must be nice to go wherever you please as long as you come home later. I wonder if Jay would take me somewhere with him one day… Just the two of us…  _

 

Carlos didn’t hear his mother coming behind him. Big mistake. 

 

“Carlos.” He stiffened and sat up straight. “Are you done with my wigs? Tell the truth.” Her voice was sharp and cut through the air like knives. 

 

“Almost Mother.” The words felt robotic coming out of his mouth. He could taste the metallic as he spoke.

 

“Almost? Carlos, I told you to do this nearly an hour ago, why haven’t you finished?” Each word sounded like a bullet penetrating the air. 

 

“I wa-”

 

“No don’t answer that. That was a rhetorical question, doesn’t your tiny little mind know what a rhetorical question is? Don’t make a single sound. Get up. Get UP!” He stood up with tears threatening to fall from his eyes. “Stop crying. Go to the kitchen.” Like magic, the tears seemed to retract and he couldn't sob. He turned knowing what would happen next and there was no more holding back. 

 

“Go to the knife drawer.” Carlos walked over there with a small piece of himself crying out trying to resist the command with little success. Resistance only delayed the inevitable. And made Cruella even angrier. “Pick up the skinny one.” He held it up as far from him as possible. “Now, bleed.” The knife shook as it came closer to Carlos’s skin. “I. Said. Bleed!” The knife quickly came down and a new cut was on Carlos’s skin. “Again.” Cruella said calmly, although she took a sick pleasure out of watching him. She was so happy to see her son was bleeding. The knife cut him again. And again. And again. He kept cutting himself until his entire arm was red and his tears clouded his vision. He bit his lip until it broke and he could taste the familiar metallic filling his mouth. He lifted the knife to strike again before Cruella stopped him. “Stop.” The knife was in the air as Carlos waited for the next command. “Clean this up and go to your room.”She gesture to the small puddle of blood forming from under him. 

 

Carlos dropped his hand holding the knife and placed it in the sink. He grabbed a rag to clean up the blood that got on the floor. He twisted the rag over the sink making it as red as Carlos’s arm. He proceeded to clean the knife. After drying it he went to Cruella’s closet careful not to step into any traps- Cruella would be very angry if any blood got onto her precious coats. He got into his sleeping bag and laid there. He could finally breathe again. He knew he had to finish up some of the homework he was assigned but he could do that in the morning either on the bus or in homeroom, and eat some food before Cruella woke. 

 

lllll

 

Mal was greeted by her mother at the front door. She had happily got their servants to cook them all of Mal’s favorite foods in honor of her first day of school. Along with a bottle of red wine that Maleficent had saved for this very day. 

 

“So tell me. How did your peers react to you transforming into a dragon?” Maleficent asked with a smile stirring her wine in one hand.

 

“Oh they were terrified. Those pastel loving freaks were practically begging for their lives. All the boys had jumped at least a foot. Even Carlos- I mean deVil jumped into someone’s arms and he’s seen my Draconian form more that five times.” Maleficent cackled

 

“That’s my nasty little girl. Now, Diablo tells me that stupid Sleeping Beauty’s daughter attends your school. Is it true?” Mal’s smile started to falter but still kept it up. Of course her mother was going to make this about her.

 

“Yes and she’s just as stupid as you said her mother was. She had far too much pink on and her voice was just ugh. She was so annoying.” Mal answered hoping it would please her mother so they would get back to talking about her.

 

“Like mother like daughter I suppose. That family has to be made from the shallow end of the gene pool I swear.” Her mother snickered and took a gulp of her wine. 

 

“Yes well it can’t be helped. Anyway in my English class-”

 

“You want to know what I  _ really _ hate about that family?” she interrupted paying no mind to Mal “Apart from their general existence of course. What I _ really  _ hate is,” she took another gulp of her wine finsihing it off. She held it out for a servant to pour her more. “That they think that they’re all that. The arrogance of them _. I _ am the Mistress of  _ All  _ Evil and Leah,” she said her name in a high pitched voice “Had the  _ audacity _ to go against me in the musical. I was clearly better. She sung totally flat the entire time. Then her husband refused to invite me to his party knowing full well how much fun  _ I _ am. And when I show him how much fun I am he has me arrested!” she was standing up now clearly drunk “He made me miss graduation! Then has the nerve to act surprised when I show up at his daughter’s baby shower declaring my revenge!” 

 

“That’s great mom. But as I was saying in my English class-” 

 

“Did I  _ sound _ like I was  _ finished _ ?” Her eyes began to glow green and Mal felt hot. Like she had steam coming off of her and was going to melt kind of hot. “Do not interrupt me when I speak little girl aah- ahh!” Maleficent screamed as she was sent electric shocks. She moved her skirt aside to hit her ankle bracelet. “Stupid thing won’t let me use my powers.” Mal felt a pang of sympathy for her mother knowing she was the only person in their two-person family that could use their abilities. 

 

The government had let Maleficent out of prison yes, but she wasn't given any real freedom. They had her keep an ankle bracelet on that would shock her everytime she used a dangerous amount of her power. And she got shocked a lot. It really wasn't her fault that her mom was always angry and trying to push Mal beyond her limits. She was doing her best at parenting.   _ It was the stupid Beast and his slightly less stupid, Beauty’s fault. _

 

All her mother wanted to do was join the dark forces on their hellish crusades and those stupid people wouldn’t allow her to do so. Now that she was powerless to do so she pushed all of that onto Mal hoping to live the life she wanted through her. The rest of the meal was eaten in silence. 

 

llll

 

Jay was sitting on his roof with his legs dangling over the edge. He went through his pockets looking for anything that would sell well. There was nothing. He sighed and thought up a location. He couldn't deal with his Jafar’s disappointment tonight. He needed somewhere warm, somewhere peaceful and far far away from his house. He opened his eyes up and smiled. He appeared to be at an underground concert with black lights everywhere shining upon all of the scantily clothed crowd. The band was a loud punk rock band with an attractive blue haired singer. He took a bottle of beer from the bar and chugged it down. He felt more relaxed than he had in days. He started to dance with a shorter pixie like girl grinding against her. He closed his eyes dancing to the beat of the music. The music was intoxicating and he could feel himself getting lost in the heat of the moment. 

 

_ Jay. Jay. Jay.  _

 

Suddenly his eyes burst open. His body felt three shivers go up his spine. His name was being called and he felt compelled to follow it. He could feel himself leaving the concert against his will. It was as if he was being pulled by an invisible rope pulling him through the outskirts of time and space to bring him back home.

_ Jafar must have found my lamp again. I need to find a better place to hide it.  _

 

He appeared at the feet of his father who looked down at him expectantly. 

 

“Where's my stuff? It's been over a week since it's been restocked.” His foot tapped driving Jay crazy. It was far too loud and he could feel his father’s aura- he was getting annoyed. Jay was always sensitive after being called from his lamp.  

 

“I couldn't find anything of value.” 

 

“Well go somewhere else. I know you don't just spend all your time at school. I'm sure there must have been something at whatever club you were at.” He gestured to his clothes which smelled like alcohol and was sprinkled with body glitter.

 

“I promise I'll get better things tomorrow.”

 

“Okay, but remember what happens if you don't.” 

 

“I get kicked out.” Jafar nodded “You get kicked out.” 

 

“That's right, everyone has to contribute something to this family. If you don't get out.” Jafar's face was calm. 

 

“Go off to that party of yours.” Jafar’s voice and face softened, “Bring back something to eat okay?” Jay nodded thinking of Evie's house and how there must be leftovers for him to take. He wasn't a huge fan of Colombian food he knew Jafar liked it well enough that his anger would recede. And it wasn't like Evie and her mother were terrible cooks.  

 

llll

 

In Evie’s aging three story house she and her mother were conversing while cooking dinner. The Najimys weren't wealthy enough to hire servants to cook for them, not that anyone would be willing to work with someone with a criminal history as well known as The Queen’s. (There have been three hit movies in the last ten years that were based on Grimhilde). But they enjoyed cooking their own meals so it was okay. They knew what they wanted and knew exactly how to do it. They couldn't going to risk some commoner making a mediocre meal for them. Besides, it was a bonding experience for the both of them. 

 

“Mom, guess who I saw today.” Evie said as they sat down at their dinner table. 

 

“Who? A handsome young man with a big bank account?”

 

“Well he is handsome and young. He's Anthony Tremaine’s step-cousin. He's Cinderella’s son. Do you remember if his family was rich before,” She waved her hands around “All of their family drama happened?” 

 

The Tremaines were a wealthy family until the patriarch passed away. Then Sarah-Jane, Lady Tremaine married Cinderella's father. Afterwards he died and Cinderella was abused. Despite the investigations and suspicion on Cinderella’s abuse, Sarah-Jane found ways to stay in power and out of trouble. Then her powers developed and she took her revenge on the Tremaines. Using her body manipulation she was able to frame the Tremaines for various crimes. After they were let out of prison they moved into the house a few blocks away from the Najimys. Anthony and Evie occasionally talked and his step-family would often pop into conversation. 

 

“Well Cinderella married rich. Some CFO or something. But that's good, now we know that they're rich.” Grimhilde seemed satisfied and began plotting. “Try and get onto his good side. Figure out what he likes. Seduce him but make it subtle. Men like it when they  _ think _ they’re in charge.”  

“Yes Mother.” 

 

“Is there anyone else?” She queried. 

 

“No, all of the other boys are from here as well. The only other one that isn't is my lab partner. And before you get your hopes up, he's a Sidekick and appears to be not very wealthy.”

 

“Nonsense, never disqualify a latent husband before going over their potential first. He could become rich. What's his name?” She took a small bite out of her salad.

 

“Doug Smalls I think. Or Little. I can't remember his name well.” Grimhilde’s eyes widened with fear.

 

“I know his father,” her voice was quiet “His Father and Snow were friends.”

 

Evie’s eyes narrowed. She was well aware of her older half-sister and her friends. Her mother told her that when she was pregnant with Evie she had grown jealous of Snow’s youth and beauty. One day she snapped (“It was the hormones that caused me to react to harshly towards her I swear.”) promoting Snow to run away. Snow stayed at a Frat House for the few days she was gone. When Grimhilde worked up the nerve to apologize she heard Snow telling her friends how she wanted Grimhilde dead along with Evie. Grimhilde feared for both her and her unborn child’s life. She plotted a way to get rid of Snow. It was no easy feat as Snow had immortality as a power. After days of contemplating Grimhilde came to a conclusion- put her into a coma. She worked hard to find a poison that would keep her and her child safe. Eventually she found it- she used the arsenic in an apple as well as other chemicals to create the liquid that would keep Grimhilde and Evie safe. The plan had worked and Grimhilde felt safe. Until a healer who had crushed on Snow from afar woke her up. Snow then had Grimhilde arrested (whilst pregnant) and left her to rot in prison. Grimhilde was eventually let out on parole. She was given an ankle bracelet and an opportunity to plead her case. It was not going to be easy to prove her innocence so what they needed was a lawyer. A brilliant lawyer whose brains and fashion sense exceeded that of Elle Woods. But with Grimhilde’s criminal record (and aging beauty) money didn't come easy. They barely had enough money to keep a roof over their heads. Evie tightened her grip on her fork. They needed that money.

 

“Don't worry Mother I'll make her pay.” Evie offered her smile and her mom smiled back. Then she quickly frowned.

 

“Smiles give you wrinkles, don't do that.” Evie’s smile fell as she continued to eat her plantains savoring the fried food because she knew she wouldn't get to eat it for a very long time.

 

Evie saw Jay out of the corner of her eye and motioned for him to take the food on the counter. It wouldn't take long- Her mom changed the subject from her half-sister to her classes. She went on about how she should strive to become the better than the peasants (a.k.a. Her classmates) except for Mal, Grimhilde wasn't going to take a chance on being Maleficent's hit list because Evue was better than Mal.) That speech alone would give Jay plenty of time to take what he needed. 

 

llll

 

At Ben’s House he and his family were discussing their day. Adam and his wife Belle were involved with local government so they didn't have many interesting stories to share. But Beast and Beauty had an amazing fight to share with their son. 

 

“Did you catch our fight on television?”

 

“Yeah Dad the way you took Gaston out was amazing! Turning into a bull? That's so cool! Mom you looked so fierce using your powers on him.” Ben marveled at their fight. “The way you kicked him knocking him out cold was amazing!” His father beamed at the praise. His son may have some qualities he was not particularly fond of but he could always count on Ben being amazed at his victories.

 

“Do you know what you two are going to do about the buildings that were ruined though? You guys should really help them with construction. Or use some of your  _ influence _ to get people to help clean it up. The damaged infrastructure would most likely do more harm than a villain would if left untreated.” Adam’s face fell he did not want to get into another discussion about helping the civilians more than they already do. He loved Ben and his caring nature but for once could he not bring up anything that didn’t glorify him? Luckily Belle picked up on this and changed the subject. 

 

“Thank you dear we’ll put that into consideration. Now how was your day?” Asked Belle politely.

 

“It was all right. I showed the Freshman class around. Gaston’s sons were there so that was awkward and most of the class was rather uninterested in what I had to say. Most of them are the children of villains so I guess that's to be expected.”

 

“It's ridiculous on who they're letting into this school nowadays. Honestly I wish they would have shipped the villains and their families off to some island so we won't have to deal with them going to our schools and other public places.” Adam shook his head with dismay.

 

“Actually I feel sorry for them. They don't seem like terrible kids just a little misguided.” His parents shared a look. “That's why at the student council meeting I am going to propose that the student body help the unfortunate kids so they can learn the difference between right and wrong.” Adam choked on his water.  _ Help the villains? _

 

“That's a great idea son!” Adam slapped his hand on Ben’s back. 

 

“That's such a nice idea dear. I hope the student council approves.”  Belle said with a small smile. 

  
Although she and her husband were thinking the same thing- student council better not approve of that idea. 


	5. Save (or Destroy) the Civillian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Four go to gym class and Mal causes some anarchy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A light chapter to relieve you of the last chapter.

The next day was gym class and everyone was looking forward to Save the Citizen. Mal was practically bouncing with excitement. But she wasn’t because she was a strong young villain who didn't lose her cool. It was also the only class all of her friends were in together. But she would rather eat broccoli than admit aloud that she was glad to see them.

 

Jay and Carlos were already outside playfully wrestling with each other. Jane was watching them with wide eyes. Coach Boom blew the whistle and everyone lined up. He explained the rules and procedures to the class.

 

Today the object of the game was to rescue the Civilian from a burning building and slam down a button to show that you were successful. Mal and Jay volunteered to be the villains and Ruby, a blonde with ‘living hair’, and Ally, a ditzy blonde with height manipulation from England. Mal strategized, thinking of ways that she could use the Heroes’ powers against them as Jay flexed his muscles to intimidate the Heroes. The Coach blew the whistle and they were off. Evie and Carlos cheered them on from the stands.

 

Ruby threw her hair onto a streetlight, swinging towards the burning building. Jay teleported in front of her mid-swing knocking her to the ground. She scowled and had her hair wrap around his ankles. She pulled him upside down and hung him from the street post. Ally grabbed Ruby’s hand and they ran together. Mal was in the burning building standing beside the animatronic Civilian who chanted, “Help me. Save me.”

 

Mal whispered a spell and Ally began to grow smaller and smaller. Ruby dropped her hands searching for her partner. Her hair had other ideas as it stood up and transformed itself into four leg like figures carrying Ruby’s body like a rag doll. Ally grabbed onto a strand of her hair and held on. Jay teleported in front of them once again knocking down one of her ‘legs’. He succeeded but they came back up to wrap around him. suspending him in the air. He tried to get away but Ruby’s hair held him tightly in place. Ally grew bigger, about 12 feet and left Ruby and Jay to fight it out. She walked over to the burning building and plucked the Civilian out of the house. But before she could hit the button Mal, now in her dragon form, jumped from the roof and kicked Ally in the chest. Everyone on the bleachers were on the end of their seats watching the fight and the clock. 1 minute left. Ally fell on her back still clutching onto the doll. Mal decided to see how flame retardant their gym uniforms were and blew fire at her. Ally felt the heat against her skin and dropped the doll. Everyone was counting down the last 10 seconds. Jay was able to escape from Ruby, who he tied up to a pole, and jumped to get the doll. Mal turned back into her human form and formed heated energy in her palm and threw it at the doll that Jay had thrown above his head. He hit the button at the last second. Carlos and Evie were cheering for them enthusiastically as were the rest of the Villains’ kids. The children of Heroes were gobsmacked that the Villains had won. _What just happened?_ They were raised to believe that only the Heroes won. Coach Boomer, on the other hand, was unfazed at their play.

 

“Good to see where the strengths and weaknesses of you four. Over the next week we will practice how to control your powers and harness them.” He checked his watch and dismissed them.

 

Back in the locker room Evie was brushing her hair and looking around for Marina.

 

“Where's Marina? She was supposed to lend me some of her mother’s pages from her potion journal.” Evie asked Mal. Ursula was a famous shapeshifter with the added ability of contract bestowal and knowledge in potions. Not as well known in the chemistry community as Evie’s mother but pretty well known. Marina didn't inherit the knowledge or shapeshifting but instead inherited telepathy (assumingly from her father) and contract bestowals, something that made her rather unpopular among her peers.

 

“They're making her use the boys’ locker room.” Mal responded stoically changing out of her sweaty clothes and into her tight leather pants.

 

“They wouldn't let her in the girls' locker room because she's pre-op? That's ridiculous. Poor Marina, that must be so troubling for her.” Evie looked sad as she adjusted her dress.

 

“Why do you need her? Who are you going to kill?” Mal asked in a teasing tone. She couldn't have her best fri- sorry right hand upset.

 

“I'm looking for more types of poisons. I've read my mom’s books from front to cover so many times I know the year it was published.” It was true, as much as Evie loved her mother she could only stand reading the same books over and over again for so long. She needed more diversity in her studies.

 

“What deal did you have to make with Marina to get that done?”

 

“I offered my homemade makeup and a custom made dress of my own design.”

 

“Good deal.” Mal fixed her hair and grabbed her books. Evie was going to take forever to perfect her looks (not that she needed it in Mal's opinion). “I'm going to head over to History. Later.”

 

In History Mal formulated a plan for Save the Civilian. It needed to be memorable and top everyone before her- including her mother. But her mother was the epitome of perfection in Mal’s eyes. This was going to be difficult as her mother developed the greatest villain scheme in the school’s entire history. _Maybe I should… No she’d accuse me of being too dumb to think up my own original plan_. Freddie looked over Mal’s shoulder.

 

“Oohh, what's this? Your History homework? Your notes? No, why it looks like something unrelated to history at all.” Freddie’s smooth voice snapped Mal out of her thoughts. Mal rolled her eyes and flicked her hand.

 

Freddie was now glued to her seat with her mouth now sewn shut with invisible thread. Then, as luck would have it, the teacher calls on her to answer the question. To Mal’s glee Freddie is amicable to answer in anything but stifled moans and grunts. The teacher does not find this funny and asks that she meet with the school dean. Freddie tries to leave her seat with no avail. She struggles quite loudly giving everyone a show, fear evident in her eyes. Mal regrets not taking Carlos’s bag of popcorn.

 

Evie arrived in class just before the bell rang. The teacher glared at her, not that Evie minded. She took a seat next to Carlos who was doodling in his notebook. Even though she wasn’t terrible at it, English wasn’t Evie’s favorite class and she paid no attention to the teacher’s grammar lesson. Instead she researched Chad Charming on her mirror. According to all of the pictures he had on his social media accounts she had found out that he- was co-captain of the Tourney Team, hung out with Audrey and Ben a lot, and the middle child in the Charming family (his older brother was at a college and his younger sister was in her year.) Evie smiled at the confirmation that he was rich. Now, to find out his type…

 

“Evie!” called the teacher

 

“Present.” she replied her eyes not leaving her mirror.

 

“Yes, we established that during roll call. I’ll repeat the question- what’s your favorite classic literature?”

 

Evie blushed slightly and tried to laugh it off, “Oh silly me. My favorite novel is Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.” She smiled sweetly.

 

“Very nice, but next time try to pay attention to the class instead of your reflection.” The class laughed at her and the teacher moved onto the next student. Evie looked down at her lap, her face burning with anger and embarrassment. _I’m not_ that _vain. Right?_

 

llll

 

     It was last period, and Carlos was currently dreading his class. He didn’t hate it no but he found the subject of English to be boring, especially at last period when he was already exhausted from the day’s events. He felt torpid already, still recovering from last night’s events which had kept him up for a number of hours. He could feel his eyes grow heavier and searched his bag for some gum.

 

“Mr. de Vil what do you think you’re doing?” the teacher snapped at him

 

“I’m looking for a pencil sir.” the teacher raised an eyebrow.

 

“I can see three on your desk. Don’t play stupid boy.”

 

“I’m sorry it won’t happen again.” Now he didn’t need that gum- his humiliation should keep him up for the remainder of the period.

 

“As if the spawn of Cruella de Vil could ever feel regret.” a voice in the back piped up. Carlos froze at the mention of her name. He’d could never escape her, even a million miles in the sky and he could not escape her.  

 

“That’s enough Ms. Frollo.”

 

“What? I’m only telling the truth. His mother killed _puppies_ for fashion. She will burn in hell for her greed de Vil.” Claudine’s voice shot icy daggers into Carlos’s soul. Carlos felt himself grow hotter and more uncomfortable at the mention of Cruella.

 

“As opposed to your father who did what again? Oh that’s right he tried to commit _genocide_ , attempted to _rape_ a woman, and fathered _you_ . All while being a _priest_ if I recall correctly.” snapped Evie.

 

“Shut up you tro-”

 

“Ma. Frollo that is enough.” Claudine pursed her lips. “Does anyone else have family drama they want to get out of the way or may we now return to the lesson? No? Good.”

 

     The teacher returned to talking about the lesson plan or something else that Carlos could not comprehend because he was too concentrated on Cruella. Suddenly he didn't want to leave the school. Evie noticed his distraught pushed some gum in his direction and offered a small smile.

 

 

 

 

llll

     Ben and Chad and Audrey were walking their way down to the bus that would take them to Tourney Practice when they heard the commotion. Loud yells, and chanting came from the quad. They ran there with interest. What they found was the Gastons fighting with Jay and Mal. One of the Gastons had Jay pinned to the ground and the other one had Mal in a chokehold. Ben tried to run to save them when Mal smiled and started to laugh. In an instant her eyes glowed green and she stopped choking. The Gaston holding her began to turn a pale green. He let her go and she gave him a roundhouse kick, swiftly knocking him to the ground. Then she pounced onto him. Jay smiled at his friend and teleported away from under Gaston. Gaston fells onto his back and Jay appeared in front of him to give him a swift uppercut. Audrey watched in fascination. Jay turned his back to help Mal when Gaston rose from behind him.

 

“Hey!” Yelled a voice. Audrey turned her head to see their blue-haired friend holding a compact mirror. _What is she going to do? Show him his true nature? Put makeup on him?_ To her surprise Evie blew a powder in Gaston’s face. The second he inhaled the powder he fell like a pile of bricks. Jay have her a smile and picked up Mal off of Gaston.

 

“Mal we're going to miss the bus.” Called Carlos. Eager for the fight to be over.

 

“Quiet!” She yelled as she got back into her feet and brushed dirt off of her. Audrey had to wonder what was going through her head to warrant such a violent response. The boys were too eager to fight which came to no surprise to her but a _girl_ so willing to fight so _physically?_ That was practically unheard of. Audrey’s head spun with the possibilities of Mal’s odd behavior. _Maybe villains are raised differently. Poor girl._


	6. The Bus Ride Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After long wait I have updated. We get a look into The Poly Royal's relationship and Jay makes a bet with Harriet, (breaking Carlos's heart just a teeny bit.)

 

The Four had gathered in the back of the bus, a place that they had claimed for themselves, as the Gastons sat in the front bloodying the leather seats.  

 

“Why did you tear me away from them?” Mal asked as she shot daggers into the souls of the Gastons.

 

“We were going to miss the bus…”

 

“I almost had them!” 

 

“Listen, your mother probably wouldn’t be happy if you got suspended on the first week of school so we did you a favor.” Jay shot back in a equally hot tone.

 

“It isn’t your business to how my mom raises me! I can deal with my mom myself!” Mal wasn’t going to admit that they did her a favor. Her mother was infamous for her fury, and Evie knew Mal feared her mother too much to stand up to her. 

 

“Mal, try to calm down.” Evie reasoned “Your scales are showing.” Mal looked like a snake ready to strike. 

 

“Hey Carlos.” Lonnie’s head popped up from the seat in front of him. Mal reverted back into her human form.  _ Lonnie you are our saving grace. _ Thought Carlos silently. 

 

“Hey Lonnie.” Mal, Jay, and Evie stared at him in shock. He had a friend apart from them?

 

_ A cute friend? _ Thought Jay. 

 

“Do you have a partner for the Support Class project yet?” Lonnie smiled sweetly ignoring Mal and Evie’s glares.

 

“Um… No I don’t. Why?” 

 

“Well, I don’t really know anyone else in class, and you seem like a pretty cool kid, so I was wondering…”

 

“Carlos doesn’t need any help.” Jay but in, wrapping an arm around Carlos “I’m helping him with whatever he needs.” 

 

“Okay,” Lonnie said slowly “But you’re not in our class.”

 

“I don’t need to be.” Jay squeezed Carlos tighter.  _ Is he jealous?  _ Wondered Carlos.

 

“Um okay. Good luck with that. Anyway, if you change your mind, my offer still stands.”

 

“Didn’t you hear Jay? He’s partners with Carlos.” Mal said, her eyes glowing green.

 

“Okay…” Lonnie made a face sunk down in her seat.

 

“Mal don’t frighten the girl.” he chastised and he popped next to Lonnie.

 

“I’m Jay.” He flashed her a smile and held his hand out.

 

“Lonnie.” She made another face, ignored his hand, and got off the bus. Carlos gave a small smile because he knew Lonnie lived at least six blocks from where she got off. Jay looked insulted and teleported back to sit with his friends.

 

They all turned to look at him. “Carlos,” Mal began her eyes a slightly duller green “Why didn’t you tell us you made a new friend?”

 

“I didn’t think that we were friends…” He looked at his shoes “We just sit next to each other in a few of our classes.”

 

“Looks like she might have a crush on you then.” Evie teased “Our Carlos is growing up to be quite the catch, huh Mal?” Mal rolled her eyes. 

 

“I don’t think so… But if that were the case I would need your help rejecting her.” Carlos replied in a small voice.

 

“Why?” Jay asked, suddenly curious. Lonnie was plenty pretty and even if Carlos had high standards, which he knew he didn’t, he had to admit Lonnie was at least attractive. Did Carlos like someone else? The thought made Jay uncomfortable for some reason. 

 

“I’m just not interested.” He was red now. 

 

“Really? Then you wouldn’t mind if I went after her then?” Jay tested. He loved Carlos and would not want to hurt him in any way nor would he want anything to come between them. Especially not some girl.

 

Carlos’s eyes widened at that.  _ No, I’m not okay with that. Lonnie is a good person. And Jay I- No. No. No.  _

 

_ “ _ No problem at all.” The words spilled out of his mouth and he tried to cover up his sadness with a big smile. 

 

Evie raised a brow at Carlos but did not say a word. 

 

“Hang on,” Harriet’s head popped out of the seats in front of them “There is no way you’re going to get with her. The only person who’s going to do that is me.”

 

“You wish.” Jay replied cockily. “I’m much more charming and better looking than you.”

 

“In your dreams maybe.” she scoffed

 

“Have you been drinking or going through the Millers’ drug bin again? There is no way Lonnie would go after you rather than me.”

 

“Are those betting words I hear?” Harriet smiled, her teeth bared like a predator.

 

“How much are we talking?” Jay was never one to back down from a challenge.

 

“Hmm...” Harriet tapped her chin “ _ When _ I win, you have to get me a week’s worth of the chocolate coins from Switzerland and fifty bucks.” 

 

Jay scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Well when  _ I _ win, you have to…” He tried to think of a single thing Harriet could get him. He could get anything he wanted. Then he smiled. “Be my servant for a month. That includes homework,, and being my waitress on all my dates with Lonnie. Plus fifty bucks.”

 

Harriet threw her head back and laughed at the thought of him winning and stuck her hand out. “Deal. Wait. Marina!”

 

Marina hopped to the back of the bus where they were seated. “What’s up?”

 

“We need you to seal the deal. No loopholes, no cheating, no backing out.” Marina squealed and clapped her hands with glee. 

 

“And if one of us backs out or cheats spots of their hair falls out.” Jay called out. Evie gasped- Jay and Harriet loved their hair. They were going to play real dirty to get Lonnie’s attention. It was like a scene straight out of a movie. 

 

Jay took Harriet’s hand and Marina wrapped a silver string around their hands and furrowed her brows in concentration, whispering an agreement. When she opened her eyes the deal was made, and Carlos felt his heart break a little more.

  
  


llll

 

Audrey was sitting in the bus as people loaded onto it. She could not tear her thoughts away from the fight that the Freshmen had gotten into. Their fighting was so barbaric. Maleficent's daughter looked feral when she attacked the two boys, who looked as equally animalistic. But they seemed like they were oddly familiar with each other, their movements with one another, like they were aware about how each person was going to attack the other. Various reasons why they fought like they did plagued her mind and she began to chew on her nails. Reasons like parenting, and fight clubs came to mind.

 

“Hey babe.” Estelle shook her out of her thoughts as she sat next to her.

 

“Hey,” she started to file her nails “What’s up?”

 

“Nothing new. The freshmen were assholes. Amelie got into another argument with all of her teachers. Evangeline held me up for to talk about what we’re doing for our parents’ anniversary after school but other than that nothing else notable happened.”

 

“Oh what are you doing?”

 

“Not sure yet. I don’t want to do the same thing as last year, but we’re probably going to do that. Although speaking of uncertain possibilities, did you get approved for the newspaper club this year?” 

 

“They’re still debating on it. Apparently, due to the gossip tabloids last year they are having a hard time determining the verdict.” Estelle blushed remembering what had happened last year. Before publishing, Estelle would add in her own column, the gossip column, without any of the older kids’ consent hoping to be the coolest girl in school. This resulted in everyone knowing everything about everyone, and Estelle being known as ‘The Girl Who Looks Like a Cinnamon Roll but would Actually (Socially) Kill You’. Everyone’s secrets had been revealed- from Melody McKinney’s secret pool parties to outing some of the players on the Tourney team. Some were just rumours made up to remind people why they shouldn’t get on Estelle’s bad side. 

 

“I learned my lesson. I swear on my life that I will just write the advice columns and only the advice columns this year.” she held her hands up in mock surrender before giggling

 

“Hopefully the student board will see that.” She laughed too. Then she frowned. What would happen to her studies? She couldn’t juggle AP classes, student council, dating, taking care of her grandmother, cheerleading, and be an active member of the Newspaper club and hope that she gets into any college she wants. If she gets anything less than a B- her mother would kill her. Her mother didn’t get a chance to live her life to the fullest because she was in Witness Protection since she was born. Audrey lived such a pampered life in comparison that she felt bad when she didn’t live her life to the fullest. Audrey’s mother felt that if she lived the life she wanted to have, Audrey would have a better life. Audrey was her second chance at life and her mother would be damned if she let that to waste.

 

“Hey, don’t get upset.” Estelle smiled “The council will let you run the newspaper this year.”

 

“Do you  _ really _ think they’ll let a sophomore run one of the most popular, and active clubs? Melody could run it, she is a senior with far more expierence.” 

 

“You are more than just a sophomore.” Estelle’s voice turned serious “You are a straight- A student, the daughter of a famous survivor and her savior, and have an eye for perfection. Not to mention the greatest girlfriend in the world.” She whispered the last part.

 

“Well I’m glad to see that you’re so confident with my abilities. But I am concerned with keeping up with my studies too. Ben needs my help running the school because Lord knows that he cannot do it by himself, plus I have to take care of my grandmother because my parents are out of town.”

 

“You’ll persevere. You’re Audrey fucking Costa-Maxie, you’ve got this.”  Estelle wrapped her arms around Audrey pulling her into a hug. Doug, who had just sat down, took a picture. The flash made them groan.

 

“Hey! You ruined the moment!” they yelled as Doug smiled sheepishly. 

 

“Sorry, but don’t worry I’m going to use it for a good cause.” He tucked the camera into his bag.

 

“Do you want to get in here too?” Estelle asked with a smile. Doug returned the smile and joined into the group hug with his girlfriends. Estelle squeezed them tighter, sandwiching Audrey who pushed them off of her.

 

“Good Lord you have a tight grip.” she laughed “Save that strength for cheerleading practice.”

 

She put her pom poms were in her lap, and took her phone out to take a selfie. She sent it to Ben and Chad who for some reason were late....

 

llll

 

“Chad hurry up! We’re going to be late!” Ben called into the locker room. 

 

“Okay, okay I’m here.” he kissed him on the cheek and stroud past him.

 

Ben rolled his eyes and smiled following Chad to the bus. They climbed onto the bus piling into the empty seats in the front. 

 

“Ben, what time does practice end again?” Chad asked not looking up from his phone

 

“Today’s Tuesday… On Tuesdays we run laps…” Ben thought aloud “Practice should end around 5:30 today. Maybe 5:15 if we run fast enough.” 

 

“Let’s hope the Freshmen are fast runners then.” Chad said with a chuckle, his eyes still glued to his phone.

 

“What is so interesting that you won’t even acknowledge me?” Asked Ben

 

“My mom’s texting me about my grades.” He raised his voice to a higher pitch and waved his hands dramatically “‘Chad Charming, if you don’t pull up your grades you won’t get to come to the Bahamas with us. When I was your age I already cured world hunger, and cancer and still had time to do all the chores and homework I was assigned. What’s your excuse for your laziness?”

 

Ben laughed despite himself “Why don’t you ask for help? Doug would be happy to help you with chemistry, and Estelle is pretty good in English.” He tried to comfort him.

 

“If I asked them for help we wouldn’t get any work done. We would spend the entire time procrastinating. Besides, I’ve got this year in the bag.” He leaned over to whisper in Ben’s ear “I’ve been practicing my telepathy and now I can see the answers to the tests and quizzes.” 

 

Ben didn’t argue with Chad. It was morally wrong but he didn’t want to sound unsupportive. 

 

“Well, just don’t forget about our offer okay? You might need the knowledge we learn in school one day. I know the school isn’t always happy with your performance but they are trying to teach us real world skills.”

 

“When in the real world would I be questioned about Edgar Allen Poe? I’m going to be a Lacrosse star. Also, stop thinking that you have to help me. I’m a big boy, I can take care of this.”

 

Ben smiled but didn’t dare or think a single thing. The last thing he wanted was for his boyfriend to feel dumb. 

 

“What do you think the strategy should be for the scrimmage next week. I saw some of the freshmen play a few weeks ago and they really need some help.”

 

Chad smiled glad that they were off the topic of his grades and on something he could contribute to. “Well, one of the freshmen was a pretty good runner. I think it was the Rodgers kid. He wasn’t very good when he had the ball in his hands though so Coach will have to make him practice more. The Porter kid is good at running and catching but has terrible coordination. He kept on tripping. Both of them have great potential so once they smooth out their edges they’ll be outstanding members.” 

 

Ben grinned, impressed at the thought that Chad used to answer it.

 

“Do you know if they had any powers that would be useful on the field?”

 

“Not that I know of. I think Roger's parents had immunity to Cruella de Vil’s mind control so he could have that. And Porter’s father was a subject to animal testing in Africa some years ago. He was all over the news when they found him. Had the ability of a gorilla they said. I didn’t watch the sorting so don’t take my word for it.” Chad shrugged.

 

“Well, at least we know they’re good at something. Two decent freshmen, we’re off to a great start.” Ben said enthusiastically.

 

“Yeah, let’s hope they don’t hurt themselves anytime soon because we’ll need them.” 

 

At practice neither Connor Rogers nor Jack Porter had hurt themselves. They hurt two other players. Connor was running with the ball and knocked down a player, spraining their ankle. Then he tripped over Jack who had fallen to the ground after losing his footing. The ball hit another player which gave him a concussion. Coach Boom had let out a string of curses at the team’s bad luck. After practice a meek freshman told Coach Boom he wanted to quit. Coach Boom practically exploded at the news. The freshman looked like he could have started crying. When Ben saw him in this car it appeared that was the case.

 

_ At least our better players are okay.  _ Thought Ben on his way to his dad’s car.  _ But now we have to find another player. And how we going to do that so late in the season? _

 

llll

Mal lied in bed trying to sleep but failed because her mother was downstairs yelling at her minions. 

 

 _How can I become as great a villain as my mother?_ _All these people fear her and would do anything for her._ She sighed and rolled to her side. _Well maybe I’ll study for my quiz next week._

 

She grabbed her book and started reading on ‘What Makes a Good Hero?’ She had to laugh at some of the chapter titles.

 

_ Chapter One: Strong Morals… Yes strong morals will definitely help save the city I will destroy one day. Morals will save the all of the citizens burning in streets. Chapter Two: Being Kind to Others… That will certainly get you killed. Citizens are a bunch of worthless freeloaders that don’t deserve kindness. This book is ridiculous.  _ Mal continued to read on, laughing at the book. It seemed odd that they were doing this all in theory rather than actually applying this into the school’s training facility. What good is a theory if they couldn’t apply it to real life?  _ Well this will be easy, just answer with everything I wouldn’t do and I’ll get it all right. This school must have gotten soft since my mother went there.  _

 

Then a burst of inspiration came to her.  _ Maybe I should take some of these scenarios and try to find a way to make them more evil. All right let’s see what we’ve got here… _

 

‘A person is trapped in a building with a child, how do you save them with your powers?’ Mal thought of a few ways to waste the hero’s time.  _ Put a bomb in the child that could destroy the city? No, mother did that already. I need to be unique and make her proud.  _ She thought harder.  _ One poor and rude family on one side of the city and a very wealthy family that will make the hero famous on the other of the city, both trapped in a burning building… One of them has a bomb that will kill the city.  _ Mal smiled at her cunning nature and wrote in her journal. She could work on the details in the morning. Her mother will be so proud when she shows her the plan.  _ Maybe she’ll think it’s so perfect she won’t need to critic or change any of it. _ She couldn’t wait until the next morning when she’ll show it to her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How will Mal's mother react to her plan? Find out next time I decide to update!


	7. A New Day

The next day Mal woke up bright and early, fixing up her hair in a nice bun. She pulled out the outfit her mother liked most. It was a purple and green dragon printed skirt with a short sleeved black leather top. Her tights were a dark purple color and dark purple snakeskin booties complimented her outfit. Finally, she added on a silver dragon chain earring to her left ear and put on some black rings. She looked like the carbon copy epitome of evil herself. She practically skipped down the steps and poured herself a cup of coffee. Her mother came down the stairs and poured herself a cup gracelessly. Her eyes were dark and tired. Mal wondered if it was a good idea to talk to her mother about her plan.  _ Well, now is as good a time as any. _

 

“Mother,” Mal started cautiously, but confidently “I have a plan for when I become a villain. I was wondering if you could hear it. It’s not much but I think I’ve got the basic premise down.” Maleficent didn’t take her eyes off of her coffee so Mal took her notebook out.

 

“I could find two families. One rich and influential, one poor with children. Set both of their houses on fire with both families trapped inside. Have the hero make a quick decision and tell them one of the families has an atomic bomb. The hero will be torn between fame and glory, and their moral code while they make the decision. Either way, if they save one of the families their names will be slaughtered in the papers. Imagine the headlines: Hero saves poor family but allows Mayor to die or elitist Hero saves the rich family while allowing poor children to burn.” Mal gave a hopeful smile feeling the happiness drain from her original hopefulness she woke up with in the morning. One look from her mother and Mal’s happiness disappeared.

 

“Mal, Mal, Mal. You silly girl. You clearly have not put enough thought into this. What family will you use? Hm? And _ how _ will you make a bomb?  _ Hm _ ?” Maleficent snapped, “How do you hope to accomplish any of this?”

 

Mal grabbed her bag and dropped her unfinished croissant.  _ Get out, don’t cry. Get out, don’t cry.  _ She repeated this to herself when she felt her tears form around her eyes.  _ Refine my plan, take in her criticism.  _ Her tears disappeared and she focused on her anger.  _ Note to self: Get my tear ducts removed.  _ Carlos was walking past her house and she walked towards him. 

 

“Hey Mal.” He greeted with a shy smile. She greeted him with a punch. His kindness was sickening. 

 

“Mal!” Evie greeted her with a hug but Mal quickly shoved her off. Evie looked hurt but didn’t dare say a word about it. Instead she fixed her outfit. She was wearing a blue mini dress with golden weaved belts across her torso. Her shoes were flats with small crowns on them. She was going to change into heels when she got to school. She leaned over to Carlos.

 

“Do you know what her mother did this time?” Although her face was stoic, her eyes were filled with worry. Carlos shrugged, not daring to say a word.

 

The bus line seemed to pick up on Mal’s mood and stayed quiet. Freddie could see her aura was very, very angry, and stopped her prank on Harriet. 

 

When the bus arrived, it was loud and people were throwing random objects through the air. Mal silenced them with a glare. They all avoided eye contact with her. The people in the back quickly got up and moved to the front. Mal sat down and people began to talk albeit more quietly for fear of Mal’s anger.  _ Hardly a month into the school year and I, a freshman, has people on their knees.  _ She could have laughed at the irony but settled on a smirk. 

 

Evie took a seat next to her and Carlos sat on the other side of Evie using her as a wall against Mal’s anger. It was going to be a long day.

 

llll

 

Jay’s heart was pounding in his chest. He teleported throughout the museum collecting little unprotected trinkets here and there. Alarms were going off but the adrenaline rushing through his veins refused to let him leave the museum without gathering everything. Jay was used to pickpocketing and letting a few trinkets ‘fall’ into his possession but stealing from a highly secured place with a chance of being caught? The thought alone almost gave him a boner. The adrenaline rushing through his veins was intoxicating and he could get drunk off the feeling he had after he stole the items. As he made a detour through an up, and coming exhibit he paused. Was his father…? Jay clenched his fists in fear, and memories, terrible memories, memories he did not want to remember, came flooded his thoughts. No his father was at the shop or at the bar or something. Wherever he was he was not here. This was a statue. All of his friends parents were there too. 

 

Maleficent, Cruella, Grimhilde, Captain James Hook. All there in their former glory.

 

Maleficent donned a purple and black leather jumpsuit with a long velvet cape behind her. Her eyes were green and glowing. She clutched her infamous staff in her hands and the wax figure looked as equally terrifying as the real Maleficent. Behind her was a large dragon, though not as large as Jay had always imagined. Then again it was probably meant to fit in the room. The dragon had a purple stomach, and a black scaly body that shined in the light. It had a large mouth with long, sharp teeth and a forked tongue and glowed in the back of its throat, reading to spit green flames to anyone who got in her way. The wings were large and batlike. It casted a fearsome shadow and the glowing green light it emitted made Jay think twice about getting on her bad side.

 

Cruella was in the corner, depicting the time she ordered a group of puppies to drown themselves. There were small spotted dogs lined up on the edge of a bridge ready to jump. Cruella’s statue was tall and glamorous, nothing like she was in the flesh. This statue was wearing a fine, spotted fur coat paired with leather pants and high heeled boots with bright red soles. She wore a deep V-neck red shirt and a pearl choker. She was a clear of her former self. Though Jay supposed that was due to her fall from grace and time being cruel to her mind and looks. Whenever Jay saw her she was menacing and delusional, and her fashion had grown out of style. Her fur coats were taken care of but her shirts were often faded and had tears in them from trying to catch all the pets in their town to make into coats. Her heels had to be glued back onto her shoes because they grew weak from the amount of times she wore them, and she had pawned off most of her jewelry to Jay’s father to buy some more furs. Jay felt bad for the animals she caught because before she had her mind control so the pets would die off themselves with little pain, but now the animals had to suffer through Cruella’s torture.

 

Evie’s mother was beside Cruella, facing a large mirror. Before, Jay couldn't see what the big deal about Evie's mother was. She was fairly attractive for a mother but she wasn't terribly impressive in the looks department. But now seeing a statue of her younger self? She was super hot. Unlike the rest of the villains in the room she did not have an elaborate costume, most likely due to the fact Grimhilde never planned on becoming a villain. The statue was dressed in (what Jay assumed to be) the finest Prada. She had a deep purple dress that revealed enough for Jay to want to see more, and a red pendant that hung between her perfect breasts. Her nails were painted a glowing green color and in the mirror in front of her Jay could see her lips had a touch of green to them. Poison. The thought of that awaiting him was enough to snap him out of his lust- induced mind. Where was he again? 

 

Jay looked at the sign next to him.  _ Villains.  _ They made their parents into a exhibit? He wasn’t sure if he should be impressed at Jafar for insuring his legacy as a villain before he was even dead or angry at the so-called heroes to put his Jafar on display like some object to be jeered at by civilians and heroes. 

 

He inspected the wax model closer and realized that Jafar’s outfit was his  _ original _ outfit back in the day. His father’s outfit increased his powers of shapeshifting, fear, flight, and teleportation. It was one of a kind and very powerful. In fact, when Jay was younger he had always tried searching for it in his house hoping he would become just as powerful as Jafar.. They didn’t give his father back his suit? They left him powerless, dropped him in the ghetto and didn’t give him the dignity of giving him his suit back? They just left it on display in a museum to collect dust? Jay never loved his father but he would have never done this to him. Jay assumed they would have reused or tested it not just leave it unguarded in a museum. All the power the suit possessed and they just left it here.

 

Wait.

 

If this was his father’s original outfit that meant there was probably still some power in it. It was left unguarded so Jay could just....

 

Heavy footsteps could be heard down the hall. Jay cursed at himself for getting distracted and teleported out of the museum and into his school’s bathroom, promising himself to come back for the suit.

  
  


llll

 

Mal was in her first period class still in a terrible mood. Jane Fairchild quivered in the seat beside her. They were assigned to work together on a project. It was how a hero and their sidekick could use mathematics in order to save lives. Jane wasn’t thrilled on working with an aspiring villain as Mal was not pleased on working with a sidekick with worthless powers. 

 

“Um Mal?” Jane asked timidly and Mal glanced at her, her eyes glowing green. Jane swallowed. “What are your thoughts on the assignment?”

 

“It’s stupid.” She answered monotonously

 

“Yes well this project does determine a large part of our grade and while I know it’s not due until the end of the marking period, I would like to get a general idea of what’s going on so we aren’t you know, rushing to get it done the night before you know? Unless you’re okay with that of course. It would just be nice to  have a good idea of what to prepare for before we pull an all-nighter right? I mean, you know.” Jane rambled on nervously, in a squeaky voice. Mal chuckled at her and cut her off.

 

“That’s enough rambling, you’re getting on my nerves. Anyway, before you so  _ rudely _ interrupted me I was working on a plan. When I’m done doing all the work I’ll give you notecards with all the stuff you need to say. I’m sure that even you can do that. Nod if you understand.” Jane nodded furiously. 

 

“Don’t you think I should contribute even a little bit onto the project? Like help with the slideshow or something? I don’t want you to do all the work.” 

 

“Don’t be ridiculous, I’m not doing a slide show. Slideshows are for amateurs who are satisfied with being mediocre and accept failure. I’m doing something that requires more brainpower. See this is why you are the sidekick, and I’m the super villain. Not only do you have useless powers but you also don’t understand how to think creatively.” Jane bit her lip and wiped away the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes. “And as for me doing all the work, don’t worry. If I do all the work it means you won’t get a chance to mess it up.”

 

“I understand Mal.”

 

“Good.” The bell rang and Jane ran away from Mal and her wrath. Mal rolled her eyes at the girl’s sensitivity.

 

Headmaster Goodchild awaited for Mal outside the classroom. She had a disappointed look on her face.

 

“Mal, it seems like you have upset one of your classmates.” Mal resisted the urge to roll her eyes. 

 

“Your daughter you mean?” 

 

“One of your classmates came crying out of the classroom.”

 

“How do you know it was me? If you are blaming me for making your daughter cry, you have to present enough evidence to show that it was me who did it. If you are accusing me without any evidence then you are purposely targeting me because of my mother.” Mal shot at the headmaster.

 

“Mal we both know you made Jane cry. I am not targeting you because of favoritism or because of family history, I’m confronting you because you were being a bully”

 

“Well, it’s not my fault she’s so sensitive. I was just teasing her. She could use a little bit of toughening up.” 

 

“Mal, I’m well aware you had a different upbringing from the rest of your classmates. I’m not putting you at fault for your upbringing. However, I’m sure you know right from wrong and what you did to Jane was wrong. Next time, try to think of others and their feelings. Your words could have major consequences to a person’s life.”

 

“I understand that now. Thank you for making me see the error of my ways Ms. Goodchild.”

 

“You’re very welcome Mal. I’m glad you understand now and I’m sorry for holding you up. Carry on to your next class.” She gave Mal a warm smile and walked away. Mal made a face behind her back and went to science class.  _ These fucking sidekicks can’t take a joke. _

 

llll

 

Evie tapped her pen against the table Her teacher canceled class so she went to the library to look for some books on chemistry. Or history. Or how to make your friend feel better. Or potion making. Or anything that could cure her of her boredom. She had designed some outfits for her to make over the weekend and set aside some money to buy the materials after school. She made a schedule of the healthy food she was going to cook for the week. She finished taking notes of Ursula’s journal and made copies of anything she thought would be important. She figured she could take another look at them. She took a look at the page about killing a person without leaving a noticeable trace of a murder. She figured she could do that if she grew unsatisfied with her marriage. 

 

_ Ursula’s powers are different from mine so there could be some issues I would face. I should try to make adjustments when I get home. See which ones I can do. Maybe I could refine it with my powers, make it more potent. Maybe I should use some test subjects. I can ask Anthony for the mice in his house to experiment on.  _ Evie smiled, glad to have a project to work on. She wrote down a list of things she would need for her project. 

 

“Hello gorgeous.” Chad greeted with a charming smile, sitting across from her. Evie looked up and hoped she looked like a beauty queen instead of a nerd. 

 

“Hello.” She replied “What’s up?” 

 

“Oh nothing much, I was going to start working on my chemistry project but my partner is sick, so now I’m just killing time in the library. Then I saw you sitting all by yourself and decided to head over.”

 

“Oh that’s so sweet of you.” She hoped she wasn’t bright red. Her mother’s voice rang in her head,  _ Keep your skin as fair as possible, and boys don’t like it when your face is red. It’s very unattractive.  _  “What’s your project on?”

 

“We haven’t decided yet. What do you think you’re going to do?”

 

“I have to ask Doug if we should do a chromatographic test.” Chad gave her a blank look and Evie elaborated “We’ll determine what colors are used to create lipstick. It’s a bit girly I know, but it is pretty fascinating to find out what kind of colors we use to make a different color.”

 

“Wow you’re a real nerd.” He teased and Evie turned red.  _ Boys don’t like nerds, what do I tell him that will make him not think that I’m a nerd? _

 

“I’m not I swear. I’m just good at chemistry because of my powers. I also have a mirror that tells me all the answers.” Evie quickly corrected him.  _ I should have checked my mirror for any flaws. I must look like a total nerd! Now he might not think I’m wife material. Mother is going to be so angry at me.  _

 

“Calm down, I know you’re not a real nerd. You’re too hot for that.” Evie inwardly let out a relieved sigh “But a magic mirror huh? That’s cool, does it only work on you or…?”

 

“I have mirror combat so I can see almost anything I want. This mirror,” she waved it at him “Would only work on either my mom or me, no one else.” Evie felt relieved that she still had a chance with him. 

 

“Interesting…”  _ Good, you threw him bait now, try to get him to bite. _

 

“You know I could help you with your project. I’ll bring my mirror and we can decide on what to do.”

 

“I might take you on your offer. I hear my partner has pneumonia so they’ll be out for a while. You can come to my house on Saturday.” He wrote his address on the side of her notebook and Evie tried not to faint.  _ He gave me his address! _ The bell rang and they parted ways, Evie with her heart full of love and Chad grateful he could get someone to do his work for him.

 

llll

As Lonnie was walking to her last class of the day she spotted a flyer on the bulletin board. The  _ School Newspaper Needs New Writers. _ She took one of them and made her way to class. She had heard of the Newspaper Club and its reputation. It made her want to do it more. She enjoyed knowing everything about everyone and needed a club to build up her college resume. She studied the flyer some more and decided she didn’t want to do it alone. She didn’t have many friends who seemed like they would be interested in the Newspaper. Then she spotted Jay leave Carlos off to their next class. Lonnie smiled and sat down next to him.

 

“Hey Carlos.” Carlos looked at Lonnie in bewilderment. Why was she talking to him? Wasn’t what happened on the bus going to keep her away from him? He gave her a small smile, glad she was still talking to him. 

 

“Join the newspaper club with me.” She said not missing a beat. “It will be so much fun. According to this flyer you don’t have to show up every meeting as long as you contribute something at least once a month. And even if you aren’t that big of a writer, you can help with the technical side of things. I remember you mentioned that you liked computers once so this would be great. Plus. it’ll look great on your college resume.” Her words shot out like bullets and Carlos needed a moment to process what she said. 

 

“I’m not sure…” Carlos then received a text. 

 

‘Just do it!- J’ It read. Carlos looked around for Jay and found him looking in through the door. Carlos gave him a disbelieving look and Jay teleported somewhere else.

 

“Um, I guess. I can’t miss the bus because Cru- my mom needs me home right away but I can probably help out during school hours.”

 

“Well, there is a meeting after school on Friday do you think your mom will let you stay?” She looked so hopeful Carlos didn't want to let her down. “You can tell her it’s something important for school.”

 

“No, I don’t think so. Maybe I can talk to them during one of my free periods, who’s in charge?”

 

“According to the flyer, Audrey Costa- Maxie. She’s a sophomore, I think she was the girl in helping Coach Boom with the Placement.”

 

“Well when we go to lunch we can ask her.” 

 

“Great!” She gave him a warm smile and a hug. Carlos could feel his face growing pink.  _ This is weird. How do I get her to stop?   _ Luckily the teacher started the class and Carlos could compose himself.

 

llll

 

During Lunch Lonnie found Carlos and took him to Audrey. She was sitting with some cheerleaders and talking about the new stores downtown.

 

“Hello.” Said Audrey, slightly confused on why two Freshmen decided to approach her and her teammates. 

 

“Hi.” said Lonnie “We were wondering if we could join the School Newspaper. But my friend here can’t stay after school because his mom needs him home right away. Can he still join but only help out during the school day?”

 

“I don’t think there will be a problem with that, but I’ll ask the teacher in charge of the club. Tomorrow we are going to set up a table to promote our club so you can just talk to us then. We should have an answer for you then okay?” She smiled sweetly but wanted them to go already so she could continue talking to her friends. 

 

“Great! See you later!” Lonnie smiled and took Carlos away. Audrey said ‘bye’ and resumed talking to her teammates. 

 

Carlos walked over to The Rotten Four’s table and sat down. Jay immediately launched into a conversation about Lonnie. 

 

“Did she mention me? What are you two doing together?”

 

“Um… She didn’t mention you, she was more excited about joining the newspaper club. She kept asking me to join her. But you know Cruella would never let me do something like that so she had me ask um, Audrey if I could help out during school hours.”

 

“Newspaper Club huh? That would be the perfect opportunity to get to know her. Then I can ask her out and make Harriet my servant.” Jay looked pleased with himself which made Carlos a little nervous.

 

“Um, Jay don’t you have to run errands for Jafar? And even if you take that aside, what would you contribute?” Carlos winced as Jay’s face fell. He quickly tried to cover it up. “Do you think you can find a camera? I think you can get some great shots with them.” Jay brightened at that.

  
“You’re right, I mean I probably can’t make every meeting because of Jafar but I can give them pictures. Carlos you’re so amazing I could just kiss you!” He gave a wolfish grin to the pink Carlos before taking a bite of his sandwich. 


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mal is upset but her curiosity gives her a chance to make up with Carlos. It's short but the next chapter will come sooner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mentions of Child Abuse, Self-Harm, and actual child abuse.
> 
> Also, everyone Good Luck on finals.

Mal dreaded coming home. Last period she received her pop quiz back in her heroism class. She had never took that class seriously and never paid attention to whatever the teacher said. It seemed that her disinterest in the class came to bite her in the ass when she got her quiz back.

 

Her mother was in the kitchen writing her speech and stirring her tea. She seemed calmer than this morning. This was not going to end well for Mal. The servants were preparing an afternoon snack. Mal hoped they were making something sweet- she needed it after she broke the news to her mom.

 

“Mal,” Maleficent looked up, putting her pen down, “How was school? How many nerds did you make cry?”

 

“Oh only a few. I made a senior cry when I insulted his hair.” Maleficent cackled and her eyes landed on Mal’s hand.

 

“What is this?” she snached the quiz and read it over. Slowly turning red as each moment went on.

 

“You received an A- on your quiz? What is wrong with you?” She barked,, her eyes glowing green. She looked like she was going to set Mal on fire. Then she calmed down and plastered a fake smile onto her face, it made Mal more unnerved than anything. “Nevermind, don’t answer that, it would take too long. I’m heading over to the town meeting. Try not to become an even bigger disappointment when I come home.”

 

Mal held back her tears. _ I will not cry. I will not cry. I will not cry. _

 

The door slammed shut and she went to her room. Her tears burned against her skin, leaving fresh pink scars on them.  _ I’ll call Evie to fix it later.  _ But now she needed an outlet. She couldn’t go outside with the curfew and her mother’s henchmen watching over the house so vandalizing Freddie’s house was out of the question. She sighed thinking how Freddie’s house could have looked better with a little more purple and green. Her eyes found itself on an old painting in the corner of her room. It was an abstract painting she started over the summer when she got bored. She stopped working on it so she could do more studying. She had actually forgotten about it. She pulled it out and set it on her easel. She looked around her room for paint brushes.  _ Mother probably put it in the attic.  _ She thought. 

 

Mal began to snoop around her attic. Her paint brushes had to be somewhere. She looked behind all her mother’s stuff, and inside her boxes. She lifted up a box in front of the window sill. Behind it was a dark wooden chest with a silver ‘M’ written in cursive at the top. It was wrapped in metal thorn vines that worked as a lock. Mal became curious and flicked her hand. The lock did not budge and she tried again. And again.  _ Hmmm, interesting _ . She recalled the time Jay tried to teach her how to pick a lock and scrambled around looking for a hair pin or any other thin metal figures. She found a bobby pin on the window sill and inserted it into the lock. As soon as she did that, however, she was immediately shocked. It didn’t hurt Mal but she was willing to bet the next shock would hurt more.  _ My mother wouldn’t have something valuable enough to be locked up be protected with just a simple shock. She’s far too great for that.  _ Mal began to think of ways to get inside the trunk without harming it. Jay couldn’t use his powers on this because he was out working for Jafar. She pondered over various lock-breaking spells, and fire.  _ Well… I do have one other option I haven’t tried.  _ She walked downstairs to call Carlos. 

 

Carlos was almost done mopping the kitchen floors when the phone rang. He answered the phone with a tired “Hello.”

 

“Carlos.” Mal’s cold voice caused Carlos’s back to straighten and sent a chill down his spine. 

 

“Yes Mal?” He hoped his voice did not show the fear he felt.

 

“Come to my house when you as soon as possible. Bring something that could open a lock.”

 

“Yes Mal.” Mal may not be able to use persuasion like Cruella but Mal’s fearful presence could make him do anything she asked. “I will be there soon.” 

 

Cruella was at the meeting so Carlos was able to sneak out easier. He put his lock picking device in his coat pocket and made his way to Mal’s house. 

 

Carlos could never help but marvel at the Chenoweth house. It was the nicest house in the entire neighborhood. It was made of dark wood with shutters carved with scales, painted wood that never chipped, and a deep green lawn that was perfectly trimmed. It looked absolutely haunting and Carlos loved it. He knocked on the door. Their butler answered the door but was quickly ushered away by Mal. 

 

“Finally. Let's go upstairs.” She grabbed his arm-the one that had fresh wounds so he held back his cries- and took him to the attic. He noticed her fresh scars on her face that were slowly healing but left behind fresh pink marks. 

 

“I need to get this open. My mother is hiding something and I have to know what. The suspense is killing me.” She gestured to the wooden chest and Carlos would have said she sounded whiny if he didn't fear for his life. He took out the device and got to work. 

 

“It should…” 

 

“Why don't you take off your coat?” Mal felt slightly guilty that she wasn't a good host.  _ I'm trying to be evil, not rude.  _

 

“Um no thanks.” 

 

“Nonsense take it off.” 

 

“Really it's okay I shouldn't be here long.” 

 

“Take. It. Off.” He hesitated before slipping his jacket off. He tugged his sleeves so his wounds wouldn't show. She hung his jacket up in the corner and waited for him to finish. 

 

The machine attached itself to the safe and whirred to life. Carlos stayed quiet and watching his machine work. Mal eyed the boy and noticed his arm. There were scars that were still fresh, maybe a few hours old if Mal had to guess.  _ Is he…? _

 

The machine started to spark a bit and fell off the chest. Mal took her eyes off of Carlos and opened the trunk. It took some muscle but she got it open. Inside there were books, papers, yearbooks, and old photo albums. Mal grabbed the top book entitled,  _ Diary.  _ She gleefully flipped through it, skimming through the entries. Her eyes lit up at the plans her mother did not follow through with and her mind began to think up all the ways to enhance them _. Maybe I can find inspiration for my grand plan.  _

 

Carlos had never seen Mal smile so genuinely before. It made her seem more human. It also scared him. He grabbed his coat and his now broken machine and made his way out. 

 

“Hey Carlos,” Mal began, unsure “Thank you. You’re a good... friend.” She was looking down at her feet as she forced out the words. It felt so strange and foreign on her tongue. “I’m glad to have you around.”  _ I can’t have one of my frie- minions acting suicidal after all. Even if he’s powerless he’s still important… to my grand plan. He’s important to my plans.  _ Mal tried to justify.  _ Yeah that’s it. That's why I’m concerned. He is an important part to my plans.  _

 

Carlos was shocked at Mal’s statement. It made him feel good but this was Mal. He couldn’t trust her until he was sure about her end game. He rubbed at his scars before realizing what she must be thinking. His eyes widened.

 

“Mal, it’s not what you think-” she raised her hand to stop him.

 

“It’s getting late, you should get going. Take care of yourself okay.” She lightly touched his arm and gave him a tight, uncomfortable smile.Carlos left without another word. 

 

_ I’ll call Evie to deal with this later. I can’t do human emotions.  _ She returned to her mother's diary and read through some of her plans, quickly forgetting about Carlos. Some plans were so ridiculous and so odd she almost didn’t believe her mother wrote them. But the later entries were far more refined and original that Mal could see the potential for greatness in all of them. She needed to get to work and put her own spin on it. Maybe her mother would be proud of her now. 

 

llll

Carlos rushed home and went to his mattress to lie down.  _ What if Mal tells someone? Cruella would hurt me. What if they find out about Cruella? What if I’m taken to another home? Cruella might hurt someone.  _ Thoughts plagued Carlos’s mind. His breaths grew quicker and heavier.  _ I need to calm down. Just breathe, breathe.  _ He took in three deep breathes  _ Mal won’t tell. She won’t tell. I’m fine. I’ll be fine.  _ He sent a silent prayer to whoever was listening to him. When CArlos was younger Cruella told him to never tell a soul about what she did to him. Not a single word. He did what she said because what other choice did he have? Free will is not something that came easily around Cruella. But now Mal thinks he self-harms and she could tell someone. Carlos feared what Cruella would do. What the authorities would do. They probably wouldn’t believe in a bunch of villains and would leave Carlos alone with Cruella’s wrath to face. What she could do to Carlos nearly made him wet himself. He took in a few deep breaths to calm himself down.  _ No I don’t have anything to fear. Mal is not telling anybody. Mal does not care for anyone but herself and her mother. Thank God.  _ A small voice in the back of his head pondered if it wouldn’t be terrible if Mal were to tell. But he quickly shook that thought away.  _ No one can know.  _


	9. You Are Invited

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A lighter, longer chapter.

In the morning Carlos woke up to walk with Mal to the bus stop. She ignored him as she was still reading her mom’s diary. She had covered it with her History Textbook so people wouldn’t get suspicious about her new reading material. Panic filled Carlos but he tried to act natural, greeting her with a smile. She gave him a muttered reply but didn’t lift her eyes from the book. When she got involved in something she forgot about everything and poured all her focus into whatever caught her attention. He exhaled, glad Mal was back to caring about herself. He walked behind her all the way to the bus stop. 

 

“Hi Evie!” He greeted with a smile. She was dressed in clothes she usually reserved for weekends at the mall. She had a bedazzled headband, a backless blue dress that was sheer down the front, and a pair of booties with little crowns. 

 

“Hello!” She flashed him a smile before pulling him into a hug. He could felt panicked,  _ Does she know? No this is  _ Evie _ , she always acts like this.  _

 

She turned around to hug Mal but it was not reciprocated. Evie had a hurt expression and followed Mal. She leaned over to Carlos, “Do you know what she’s obsessed with now?”

 

Her mother’s diary, of course. His secret was safe. He shrugged in response to Evie who despite her stoic face, her eyes were filled with worry. Jay joined them, still in yesterday’s clothes. They followed Mal onto the bus stop and sat in a comfortable silence. 

 

llll

Evie was in Tactics and Strategy trying to keep her focus on the lesson. She had difficulty keeping focus because the lesson contradicted with what she was raised on and because her powers were not physically demanding

 

“Hey, Evie.” whispered Diamond Miller, careful not to attract any attention to themselves. “We’re going to have a party this weekend. You in?”

 

The Millers’ parties were always phenomenal. Their mother used to be a major drug kingpin until one of her most trusted employees, Alice Kingsley, Ally Kingsley’s mother, turned out to be an undercover agent. The Millers hated Ally Kingsley because of that and wasted no time making that known. They would constantly trip her and knock her stuff down whenever they saw her. However, their mother still had connections with her former drug contacts (who all still feared being beheaded by the Red Queen) who gave her a steady supply of drugs to be used and distributed in their neighborhood. Due to this, the Miller parties always had drugs that gave some intense effects on the takers. Not that Evie would know. Evie had never taken any drugs herself because her mother always told her that alcohol and drugs would make a woman grow ugly and turning ugly was the last thing Evie wanted. But Evie always did enjoy herself there. The music and dancing was always great, and it gave her a reason to dress up in her nicest outfits. Everyone had their attention on her and Evie thrived on that attention. She was the queen of the scene and if she was there so would everyone else.

 

“When have I ever missed a party?” Diamond smiled, glad her family’s drug empire would live to see another day.

 

“Cool. Saturday night during the football game, got it?” Evie nodded. The police were occupied either at the superpowered football game, the civilian football game, or the burglaries downtown to be worried about their neighborhood. Not that they would ever go down there...

 

“Tell your friends.”

 

“I wouldn’t worry about it.”

 

llll

 

Jay was in history class drawing little dicks all over Douglas Stephen’s portrait. Evie glanced at his paper and scrunched her nose up in distaste. 

 

“You’re disgusting.” She gave him a mock look of authority before letting out a small giggle. 

 

“Oh I went to the museum this week. I got you something you can wear for a little bit before I have to give it to my father.”

 

“New bling?” Evie whispered, excited.

 

“Obviously.” 

 

“Pay attention!” Yelled the teacher in the front.They both muttered a small sorry and the teacher went back to their lesson on the Civil War, and the effects on civilians and heroes alike. 

 

“Oh the Millers are having a party this weekend.”

 

“Sweet. I’m going to invite Lonnie, ‘kay?”

 

“Ask the Millers, but I don’t think a Super Sidekick is going to be welcomed by our neighborhood.” 

 

“Lonnie has made friends with a lot of villains. I’m sure she’ll be fine. Besides, if she does get into trouble I can rescue her.” 

 

Evie rolled her eyes as Jay flexed his muscles. “How gallant of you.”

 

“Don’t act so jealous, E. You know, you could make this easy on yourself and just admit your feelings for me.”

 

“As if.” she smiled “Where’s my jewelry?”

 

“I’m insulted.” He put his hand to his chest in mock horror. “You’re only using me for my jewels? Shame on you.” He opened his bag to show her the jewelry anyway. She saw a few plain pieces of jewelry.  Except for one piece that grabbed her attention immediately- a 20’s style headdress with clear crystals that formed the shape of flowers and leaves. Evie liked that the best. It would go with her dress that she reserved for house parties. It was perfect for the Millers’ party.

 

“I want this one.” She pointed to the headdress and Jay smiled knowingly handing it to her. 

 

llll

 

At lunch, the four of them ate their food and discussed the Millers’ party. 

 

“Do you know who else is going?” Mal inquired, lifting her head from her mother’s diary for the first time that day. She needed to network if she was going to rule the world (with her mother).

 

“The usual suspects I suppose. It’s their first party of the year so it’s bound to be good.” Evie answered taking a bite of her salad. She knew Mal would be networking but hoped that she would take a break and have fun for once. As much as she loved Mal she didn’t know how to have a good time (that didn’t include violence or villainous plots). Perhaps she and Mal could finally… Her train of thought was interrupted by Carlos. 

 

“I don’t know if I will go,” Carlos said in a small voice “Cruella might have me do some work around the house.”

 

“Why can’t you sneak out just this once C?” Evie whined “I’ll even make you a new outfit.” She had never seen Carlos at any party, even the small ones hosted at school, because of Cruella. She had no idea what he did, but missing the first major party of high school had to be some kind of sin. Even, Cruella, who she had never met but had heard rumors about, had to let him go. It was an essential part of being a teenager.

 

“I don't think Cruella would be too happy about it. But I guess I could see what I could do.” Carlos lied. 

 

“Okay,” she replied not quite believing him, “Jay what about you? Are you still taking Lonnie?” This question caught Mal and Carlos’s attention.  _ Lonnie?  _

 

“I’ll have to find her today. But I’m sure she’ll say yes.” 

 

“You’re taking a  _ sidekick _ , whose parents are military  _ heroes  _ to a party hosted by  _ villains?  _ Are you serious?” Mal stared at Jay in shock.  _ How could this idiot have lived this long? _

 

“She’ll be fine.” Jay waved her off taking a bite out of his second sandwich. Five other sandwiches were in his pocket. Evie had designed all of his pants so they all had large, deep pockets. “I can protect her.”

 

“I doubt that even if she is a sidekick that she can’t protect herself. Besides even if she couldn’t what makes you think that she would go?”

 

“Because I’m charming and have great hair.”

 

Mal raised a brow and smirked “Not for long it seems.” Jay turned his head to see what Mal was looking at and found Lonnie and Harriet talking. Jay cursed and teleported to them.

 

“Hello.” Lonnie jumped.

 

“Hey Jay.” Harriet answered coolly, flicking her newly dyed hair. It was now a blonde color instead of the usual red and black. 

 

“What are you two talking about?” 

 

“I was asking her where she got her hair done. I’ve been thinking about changing my hair.” Lonnie answered slightly shocked by his sudden appearance. Jay couldn’t bring himself to lie to her- she had really bad hair. 

 

“Do you need something?” Harriet asked obviously irritated.

 

“Yes actually. Lonnie, there is a party at the Miller's’ house this weekend. I was wondering if you would like to come with me.” he asked trying to maintain his cool composure instead of looking like he was going to kill Harriet.

 

Lonnie seemed a bit shocked at this “Wow, um well my parents might not approve but I’ll ask.”

 

“Don’t be scared Lo. I’ll be there so once you ditch him we can have our own fun.” Harriet’s words were kind but her eyes were shooting daggers at Jay.

 

“I’ll think about it. I have to go to the bathroom, excuse me.” She walked away obviously perturbed by what just happened. Not that either Jay or Harriet noticed, they were too busy staring each other down.

 

“You scared her off.” Jay snarked.

 

“Me? You came in too overbearing like some creep.” Harriet snarked back before breaking into a grin.

 

“You’re making this too easy to win. Say bye to your hair.” Harriet laughed not unkindly.

 

Jay broke into laughter “In your dreams Hook. Are you going to the Miller party?”

 

“When have I ever missed it?” They gave each other a knowing look. Then, the bell rang and they parted ways.

 

llll

 

The day was over and the weekend was approaching. Carlos dreaded this. He was afraid of what Cruella had planned for this weekend. Last weekend he spent it cleaning all of the dishes and floors. He wasn’t able to finish all of his homework in time, not that he could have finished his homework at all, as most of the questions applied to the superpowers he had yet to obtain. He walked into the house very quietly, careful not to alert Cruella of his presence. But she found him, she was waiting for him at the end of the hallway holding a martini glass. She looked angry, even under her thick face mask. Carlos swallowed and closed the door.

 

“Where have you been?” she asked.

 

“School.” He replied in a strong, loud voice. If she couldn’t hear him speak she would start yelling and throwing things.

 

“Don’t lie to me boy,” she pointed at the broken grandfather clock, whose hands were forever on 5:16.  “It’s far past the end of your school day. Where have you been?”

 

“I’m not lying, I really was at school.” He said, mumbling the last part. Cruella saw red.

 

“What have I said about mumbling? What have I said about lying?” She screeched, breaking the face mask. Cruella threw her martini at his head. He was able to duck and avoid being struck by any shards but he stayed on the ground with his hands covering his head. “Get out and don’t come back!” she screeched. 

 

Carlos went frigid. He obeyed the command and walked out the door. As soon he was off the deVil property he took in a deep breath and smiled. It was a matter of time before Cruella changed her mind so he was going to spend his free time wisely. If he was lucky he had the weekend before he had to go back. He broke off into a sprint towards Evie’s house. They had a party to go to. 


	10. It's Time for Some Big Fun!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's see how much fun the Rotten Four have at the first party of the year...

It was Saturday afternoon and the Rotten Four were at Evie’s house getting ready for the party. Evie was checking herself out in the mirror. She had the headdress that Jay gave her as well as her short sequined party dress that accentuated her light curves. Her lipstick was a light pink and she had smokey eyes that made her look extra enticing. She wore her strappy silver shoes that showed off her silver nail polish. Her red pendant was on a shorter chain and drew attention to her cleavage. 

 

“E, you did a great job on my outfit.” Mal took a picture of herself with her polaroid camera. Evie always made her friends outfits whenever they asked or when they were going to a party. She made Mal an off the shoulder black, long sleeve romper. Mal wore her usual studded boots and wore a small choker necklace with a small green pendant. Mal refused to let Evie apply makeup on her and instead applying cherry chapstick and nothing else. She showed a lot less skin than Evie would have liked but she still had to admit Mal looked good. 

 

“I know, you look fabulous.” Evie turned around.

 

“Well, we all know I look great.” Jay said cockily strutting around Evie’s bedroom. He struck a model pose and flung his hair behind him. He had a red muscle shirt and a loose pair of pants with a few chains and studs on them. Evie loaned him her studded bracelets and an old necklace with a lock around a chain. He had a leather jacket loosely tied around his waist and his old beanie. His hair was in a loose braid, that Evie had done herself, he’d thrown over his shoulder. His outfit wasn’t Evie’s best work but he often ruined his clothes before the end of the night so she didn’t feel too bad about it. He looked like the epitome of a regular Villain Kid- pure sin. 

 

In contrast, she was proud of what she made for Carlos. He occasionally helped her make her clothes, with him being the son of an infamous fashion mogul and all he had a great sense in fashion. He made sure his clothes were suited his tastes. And he took meticulous care of his clothes so it was a huge plus for Evie. Carlos wore tight, stone washed black shirt paired with white and black shorts with the sides lined with leather. It had a chain with a rabbit foot on it and a few studs on the pockets. He had a red and black hoodie over it and a pair of his old red high tops. He wore a necklace that said ‘Carlos’ in cursive that Evie gave him for Hanukkah. He was applying mascara in the corner with one of Evie’s mirrors. Evie smiled at his outfit.

 

Grimhilde came into the room with a few glasses of water and clucked her tongue at Evie’s outfit.

 

“Evie, your makeup looks dreadful. Come here.” She patted the spot next to her on Evie’s bed and Evie sat herself down and let her mother doll her up. Mal looked over at Evie and felt a small pang of sympathy which she quickly brushed away. It wasn’t her place to question Grimhilde’s parenting style. 

 

“Hey, Ms. Najimy we’ve got to get going before the party is over.” she tried to divert her attention off of her daughter. 

 

“Evie will join you in a moment Mal.” She did not take her eyes off of Evie and applied her makeup on with a cautious hand. Maybe it was just Mal, but Evie looked exactly the same as when she applied her eyeshadow on herself. 

 

“Okay you’re done. Next time, use the thinner brush. You aren’t a child anymore, I can’t hold your hand.” Grimhilde kissed Evie her hairline, careful not to let her lipstick smear, and sent her away. Mal didn’t say anything that would upset Evie before the party because she was the only one she lo- li- tolerated at the party.

 

“Are you bringing Lonnie?” Evie asked Jay

 

“I would but I don’t know where she lives.” he sounded glum but quickly broke into a grin when he realized he wouldn’t have to be with one person for the entire night. 

 

“Let’s go, it looks like they started the party without us!” screamed Carlos who was glad he wasn’t home tonight. For the weekend Evie let him stay over her house. Her mom was fond of Carlos and was sympathetic towards him. She didn’t know what happend at his house but she knew Cruella.

 

They opened the door to the Miller's’ house to find that it was in full swing. Nicki Minaj was blasting on the speakers, and everyone was dancing and having some fun. Clover Miller was in the corner playing beer pong with some upperclassmen. Jay and Carlos went over to join her. Mal and Evie went to the dance floor where they caught the eyes of everyone around them. Mal was a little nervous until Evie began to grind and dance against her, eventually loosening her up. Everyone had their eyes on the girls, not that they noticed as they were too entranced with each other. Evie’s eyes kept looking into Mal’s lips.  _ Should I?  _ She kept asking herself. They stayed like that until the song ended. Then the song ended and Mal left to grab a drink. Evie stayed on the dance floor to grind up against Anthony. 

 

Jay and Carlos were killing it at beer pong. Clover was falling over, missing every shot while the boys were hardly tipsy. He made another shot and the crowd cheered. He got high on the attention. Clover fell over and her brother made sure she got to her room safe. Everyone decided to stop playing for a while and take it to the dance floor. Jay and Carlos high-fived at their victory and joined everyone else. Evie was still there, this time dancing with Harriet… and Lonnie. 

 

Jay broke into a smile the moment Carlos lost his. Jay made his way over to Lonnie. Carlos made his way to the open bar.

 

“Hello gorgeous.” 

 

“Hi!” she said cheerily. Jay didn’t smell any alcohol on her breath and continued to flirt with her. 

 

“I thought you couldn’t come.”

 

“My parents let me out of the house for once. Oh gosh this party sure is dandy!” she laughed. Jay raised an eyebrow.  _ What kind of parties did the heroes have? Probably involved wine and fancy cheese with classical music. Oh wait, we’re underage. Probably juice boxes then. From Switzerland or some shit. _

 

“Would you like to dance?” 

 

“Yeah!” she threw herself into his arms. Harriet saw and left Evie. 

 

“Lonnie, sweetheart, what are you doing?” Her voice was sweet but the glare she was giving Jay was anything but. 

 

“Dancing want to join?” She yelled giggling and hanging onto Jay. 

 

“Did you take anything?” Harriet asked ignoring her question. Jay stopped his dancing and looked at Lonnie. She was a lot more open than usual. Her pupils seemed to have expanded.

 

“No,” she giggled not quite grasping the severity of the situation. She waved her hands in the air. They seemed to glisten in the light. Then Jay noticed it wasn’t sweat or glitter or anything of the like. It was  _ ice _ .

 

Harriet took notice of Lonnie’s hands. “Jay I think we should take her to someone’s bedroom. Grab her other side.” She hooked Lonnie’s arm around her shoulder and Jay mimicked her. Harriet staggered a little because of the height difference and the uneven weight that proved difficult for her to walk with. Lonnie was screaming the lyrics to the song, but otherwise posed no struggle. 

 

“Do you know where we can drop her off?” Jay asked when they reached the top of the stairs.

 

“We can try Diamond’s room.” she walked over to a white door that had “Diamond’s room, Keep Out” written in calligraphy on it. Harriet opened the door.

 

… To find it occupied by a very busy couple. Harriet rolled her eyes and closed the door. The two took Lonnie- who had yet to stop singing along- to the bathroom. They saw no other option (they both knew, from experience, that the master room, Ace, and Clover’s rooms would be occupied at this point). They dropped her in the bathtub and locked the door. She began to pound on the door. She should be safe in there for now.

 

“Make sure one of us grabs her before the end of the night.” Jay said before walking back down the stairs to rejoin the party. 

 

llll

 

Mal was having a blast at the open bar. 

 

Salt. Shot. Lime. 

 

She was killing this game. Half of her opponents, who had underestimated her abilities due to her small stature, were passed out while the other half struggled to keep up. She applied a spell onto herself that prevented her from getting too drunk before the party. (And so what if it was cheating? Her mother didn’t become the greatest villain of all time by playing by the rules, so why should she?) The Gastons were going to drink themselves to death if they tried to best her.

 

“Another.” she slammed the glass down the second one of the Gastons fell over. The crowd cheered for her and relished in their support. The remaining Gaston (One? Or was it two? The alcohol was starting to get into her system) narrowed his eyebrows.

 

“I am not going to let myself be beaten by a little girl.” Mal scoffed

 

“This little girl is gonna outdrink you.” She slammed down another short and raised an eyebrow, daring him to make a move.

 

He arrogantly took a few shots and drank them all at once. Everyone cheered and Mal turned red. She was not going to lose to the likes of a Gaston. She grabbed a jug of vodka and chugged it down. The crowd went silent before all cheering for her. She finished the bottle off and wiped her mouth. Gaston threw the shot glass at the door and stalked off to the dance floor. Mal gave a bow. She fed on the applause the crowd gave. She went towards the dancefloor but was stopped by Clover.

 

Clover had her hat on backwards and her loose clothes hanging off of her body but seemed to be more sober than the rest of the partygoers. 

 

“Hey Mal. Say, I’ve got something new for you to try. It’s free of charge.” Clover held up a small pipe with a caterpillar. From what Mal could remember caterpillars stood for hallucinogens, rabbits stood for anything that made one more energized and focused, mice stood for anything that would get one slower, and hats stood for anything that would make one more arguably smarter but even more incoherent.

 

“What’s the catch?” Mal knew the Millers were probably the best dealers in their neighborhood and she would be lucky for the opportunity to have some of their products for free. Yet, she knew what drugs did to the brain and trying a new product was risky. Especially when she’s never tried one before. 

 

“Well, you are the coolest girl in the neighborhood so if you give our products a good review, it promotes our product and sales go up. Or that’s what Diamond says anyway.” Mal was impressed by the amount of thought that Clover put in for her pitch. Clover wasn’t exactly known for her public speaking skills. “If you help us out, we’d be willing to give you anything you want. Someone’s head, drugs, anything at all.”

 

Mal knew the Millers took their favors seriously. They could do her dirty work for her when the time came. “Why the sudden interest in advertising? I haven’t heard about any new competition for you.” 

 

Clover pulled Mal to the side and lowered her voice, “We are trying to take our mother’s empire. She’s getting sloppy and you can’t tell me you didn’t notice the growing abundance of headless bodies popping up. Once we dethrone the red queen, we take the throne and control everything.”

 

“No sibling rivalry?” The Miller kids were notorious for fighting each other. If they took down their mother and claimed the throne for themselves, there was a strong chance they’ll try and de-throne each other. They were ruthless against each other and never backed down until someone surrendered. It would be unwise to get involved in that mess.

 

“We’ve agreed that we are high schoolers now. We’ve matured. We have no time for squabbling like children anymore. Graduation will come sooner than we expect. We are securing out futures and neatly divided the work amongst ourselves.” Mal searched her face for a lie. She didn’t find any. 

 

“Why didn’t you just compulse me to take it?”

 

“I have morals. Besides the effects aren’t as strong if I tell you to take it.” Clover didn’t look the least bit offended. 

 

“Well, I’ll take one hit,” She took the pipe and inhaled. “But if anything is to happen to me, I’m coming after you and your empire.” Her eyes glowed green and Clover knew she wasn’t kidding. She nodded and took the pipe back. 

 

“Come find me later. Tell me how it is.” Mal blinked furiously as Clover left her. It was her second time taking drugs but this time she felt the effects coming fast. She could feel herself growing smaller- was that just the drugs or was she really getting small- and she tried to cast a spell. Nothing happened. What the-? She still felt small. Her clothes were getting big as well. What had Clover given her?

 

llll

 

Carlos was having fun at the open bar. He was not drinking but he was showing off his bartending skills to a crowd of drunk teenagers. He flipped a bottle and caught in his hands before pouring a round of shots for some cute boys. One of them gave him a wink before collecting the glasses. He smiled back and made another drink for himself. He left the bar and walked over to the dance floor. Evie was in the middle of the floor dancing for her crowd that formed around her. He made his way to his beautiful friend and danced with her. Even though they knew she wasn’t his type it didn’t stop the her admirers from growing jealous about the way she grinded her hips against the younger boy. The song ended.

 

“I’m gonna grab some water, you want anything?” she asked laughing.

 

“I’m good, I’ll stay here.” He continued to dance to the beat of the new song as Evie walked away.

 

“Hey,” someone grabbed Carlos’s shoulder and turned him around. Gaston #2.

 

“What makes you think you dance with my girl like that?”

 

“Who? Evie?” Carlos laughed in his face. “Everyone knows that would never happen.” The alcohol gave him liquid courage. Gaston pushed him and he knocked into some people who pushed him back onto his feet. That courage was gone now.

 

“What are you going to do about it?” Gaston looked ready to fight. Carlos realized he was at a clear loss and pushed his way out of the crowd. He ran up the stairs and locked himself in a random room. He splashed water on his face and tried to control his breathing. 

 

“Heeey, who’s there?” Carlos jumped at the voice. He looked around and found Lonnie in the bathtub. 

 

“It’s Carlos.” He inspected her for any injuries or some kind of trauma but it just appeared Lonnie was just intoxicated.

 

“Hey Carlos,” she stood up on shaky legs before sitting down again “Can you help me downstairs.”

 

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. Why don’t we stay up here and talk?” He couldn’t let her go downstairs in this state. They could both fall down the stairs and hurt themselves further. Besides, something about her made her strangely attractive. Which was weird because he was never attracted to anyone but his crush before.  _ A _ n _ d celebrities don’t count, I think _ .

 

“Yeah okay. You’re friends with Jay and Harriet correct? Can you tell me what their deal is?” She lied her head against the wall. The area around her head made a pretty design made of ice. Which then sprouted spikes. Carlos was a little tipsy but from what he could remember she couldn’t do that. “Like they are always hanging around me and glaring at each other like dogs who are fighting over their favorite toy.”

 

“They like you.” The music stopped playing downstairs but Carlos wasn’t going to check if the party was over. He’d heard about these parties so if the music went out it was probably because there was a fight. It would come back on in a little while. Besides he couldn’t take Lonnie home by himself as he was probably a foot shorter than her in those heels.

 

“Weeelll,” she hiccuped and laughed. “That’s unfortunate.”

 

“How so?” Jay and Harriet seemed decent enough for Lonnie. 

 

“I don’t like girls….”she hiccuped again “Or boys. Or any gender for that matter.” she laughed.

 

“You’re ace?”

 

“Is that the word for it? Then yeah, I’m ace.” she laughed again “I’m an ace in a deck of cards.” 

 

“Interesting…” His chances with his crush might be increased then.

 

“Thanks,” she lifted his chin “For understanding.” she kissed his cheek.

 

“I thought you…”

 

“It’s a friendly kiss.” She kissed his other cheek as the door opened to reveal a red and sweaty Jay. Harriet came up behind him, covered in fairy glitter and gasped at the sight. Jay looked livid.

 

“Lonnie! You seem better.” said Jay feigning calm and ignoring Carlos completely.

 

“Yeah, Carlos was keeping me company!” she hugged him tight. Harriet peeled her off of him.

 

“Well party’s over so I’m going to take you home, but we’re stopping at Marina’s house first for a hangover cure.” Harriet hooked Lonnie’s arm around her neck, helping her stand up.

 

“She’s not here?” Asked Carlos. 

 

“Don’t ask me why.” she staggered a bit when Lonnie put her weight on her. 

 

“Carlos grab Evie and let’s bounce.” Jay looked stoic.

“What about Mal? She’d get angry if we left her.” Jay shook his head.

 

“I’ve got her.” He reached into his pocket and held out a small purple and black lizard.

 

“What-?”

 

“She chose today to try drugs.” He sounded exasperated but his face remained neutral.

 

“Well we’re off.” Harriet took Lonnie downstairs.

 

“Let’s go find Evie.” said Carlos trying to coax an emotion out of his friend.  _ ‘Did I do something? What did I do?’ _

 

“Come on, I saw her on the dance floor.” he walked out without Carlos who ran to catch up to him. They found Evie on the dance in the corner of the room chatting with C.J Hook, Harriet’s younger half-sister.

 

“Evie let’s go.” Carlos said.

 

“Okay,” she turned to C.J, “Well it was great seeing you. Glad you finally got out of the house.” she waved good-bye to C.J. and walked with the boys.

 

“Where’s Mal?” she looked around for her shorter friend. Jay held up his hand and lizard!Mal stuck her tongue out. 

 

“Oh,” she said in understanding “She finally chose today to try drugs.”

 

“How do you know it’s her?” asked Carlos once they got outside.

 

“I saw some people taking it earlier, apparently the Millers’ new drug reverses people’s powers.”

 

“That explains a lot actually.” when Carlos remembered Lonnie. His attraction to her, the ice in the bathtub. It made sense... so the reverse of Mal was a lizard? He could’ve laughed but the serious situation and Jay’s indifference towards him made the situation less funny.

 

“Do you know how long it will last? I think Mal had a curfew.” Jay said.

 

“Not too long, I think. I overheard Ace saying that it really depends on how much they took. This is Mal so it should be short.” 

 

“Great. Then can we go to your house before she reverts back to normal? I need some vegan enchiladas.” asked Jay.

 

“I don’t think we have any more enchiladas. My mom is putting me on another diet.” Carlos felt a pang of sympathy for her. Everyone in their friend group knew ‘diet’ was code word for ‘not eating until Evie lost at least ten pounds.’

 

“This is because of Chad?” he asked.

 

“Yep!” she seemed excited about it. Carlos felt a little happy for her, finding her prince and all, but was still sad for her. “I looked at his instagram, and apparently he likes carrying girls around so he can’t carry me around if I weigh as much as a whale so-” 

 

Carlos was about to interrupt her, tell her how much she was beautiful and amazing and smart and how her mother and Chad’s opinions didn’t matter because if they couldn’t recognize how amazing she was that was their loss and that she didn't need their approval because she was already amazing. If they couldn’t see it, then they were clearly idiots.

 

He would have told her that if Jay didn’t let out a curse and drop lizard!Mal. Mal began to glow a soft green light and once it was over she was her original human self.

 

Evie let out a sigh of relief and hugged Mal tightly. Carlos smiled and Jay just glared at Mal.

 

“Ugh, I’m never taking drugs again.’’ she brushed herself off once Evie let go of her. Jay was still giving her a dirty look. “What? You wouldn’t have let go of me before I changed if I hadn’t had bitten you. You’re welcome.”

 

“What are you going to do to the Millers?” Jay asked, always ready for a fight.

 

“Calm down killer. I know you’re always ready to pound someone’s ass” Carlos blushed “ for any reason but I think it would be a powerful alliance.” She explained their agreement to them. 

 

“Next time your mother takes you to the Miller’s salon,” Mal ordered Carlos “Tell one of the triplets I accept their offer.”

 

“But they reversed your powers. Aren’t you-”

 

“That drug might come in handy.” she brushed off the dirt “Also, they’re probably shitting themselves now that I’ve taken it. They would be on their knees begging for my forgiveness. Hell hath no fury like a Chenoweth scorned as they say.” She smiled cockily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the long wait. I actually had this chapter completed for a while now but my family kept sending me away to places without a computer this summer. Hopefully the next chapter will be out much sooner! Feel free to leave a comment (just put 'extra kudos' below if you liked this chapter but had nothing else to say)!
> 
> P.S.
> 
> Yes, the title is a 'Heathers' reference.


	11. Just Another Monday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Monday after the party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry that this came so late. I had this in my docs for a while but never had the chance to post it. I promise the next update will come sooner.

The next morning Carlos went back to his house. He stayed over at Evie’s house the night before and left at dawn. Jay’s avoidance of him and Evie’s soft mattress made it hard for him to go to sleep but he eventually succumbed to the temptation of sleep. He stood out of the gate because Cruella said she never wanted him back in the house. She always said this but whenever he stayed out too long she always found a way to make him come home. Her techniques were usually painful so he started coming out of his own free will. With a sigh he opened the gate and made his way to the back door. He found Horace and Jasper leaning against the wall for a smoke break quietly talking amongst themselves. They jumped when they noticed someone had joined them but calmed down when they realized it was Carlos.

 

“Your mother is asleep. The dishes are in the sink.” Horace said, taking a drag. Carlos didn’t know what kind of relationship he was supposed to have with his mother’s minions. He couldn’t see himself giving orders, partially due to his shy demeanor and partially because he did more of Cruella’s work than they did. He didn’t know if either of them were his father but he supposed it didn’t matter in the end because they never seemed to harbor any deep fatherly affection for him (at least by this neighborhood’s standards. Fathers usually left before they knew about the pregnancy, and the mothers didn’t spend too much time thinking about all the men they had recent ‘dealings’ with. But if the fathers did stay around they didn’t stay long after the birth of the child, save Jafar and Gaston and Frollo. Maybe one of them were his father? He hoped not. Jafar was Jay’s father, and he couldn’t imagine having the Gastons or Claudine as siblings. He wasn’t entirely sure what other fathers were like.) The most Horace and Jasper ever did for him was tell him what needed to be done in the house and that was it. But they also may not know if they are his fathers. Or care. Most likely both.

 

He opened the door, careful not to let it squeak and let Cruella wake up. He heard her light snoring when he passed the stairs and silently thanked his luck. He moved to the kitchen and got started on the dishes. He set the plates and forks on the drying rack. He set the table for Cruella’s breakfast. The plastic red and white roses were in their proper positions in the small black vase. The glass filled with Cruella’s favorite breakfast drink was spotless and deprived of any possible soap marks Carlos could have left. He straightened the fork and plate, making sure each side was symmetrical to the other. 

 

Perfect.

 

llll

 

On Monday, Jay awaited at the school bus for his friends. He didn’t walk with them that day because Jafar had him run errands the night before and it had run into the morning. Jay was feeling very lethargic and thought of the classes he could sleep in this morning. He was leaning against the lamp post as his neighbors were either quickly finishing their homework or setting it on fire. He saw his friends in approaching the bus stop and he immediately perked up. Evie was looking lovely as usual and Mal had her usual displeased look that showed the world how disappointed she was with it. It was amazing how much she resembled her mother when she did that. Carlos was not far behind, letting the girls walk in front of him so they could have their own conversation he did not want to be a part of. 

 

Jay swaggered on over to his friends with a lazy smile. 

 

“Good morning ladies,” he said, still upset with Carlos. 

 

“Morning.” Carlos said with a hopeful smile. Jay ignored him and Mal took note of odd behavior.

 

“Where were you this morning?” Mal asked.

 

“Working.” he replied with a wolfish grin. He threw one arm around Mal’s neck and she quickly elbowed him in the gut. He dodged the attack with a laugh. 

 

“Oh Mal sweetheart. You wound me.” He said in an overly dramatic voice, putting his hand over his heart.

 

“Call me ‘sweetheart’ again and I’ll pulverize you.” Mal said in a threatening voice with narrow eyes. The two locked eyes with each other before bursting into laughter. 

 

Evie went to Carlos’s side and gave him a warm smile. “Do you want my pudding cup at lunch?”

 

“Thanks,” Carlos returned the smile. He knew better than to reject food and even if Evie was on another one of her special diets, she wouldn’t be giving it up without a good reason. “That would be great.”

 

llll

 

Mail twirled a lock of her hair while trying to pay attention to the lesson. She was in Espionage Class and while appealing on paper, was a total drab. At least the way her teacher presented it. If she continued with the class she could be eligible to go undercover in Junior Year. It sounded exciting but she hoped she would have conquered the world or the teacher would retire before then.

 

She was a little glad that Evie was in her class. Evie, in contrast to Mal, actually liked the class. Mal suspected it had to do with two of her favorite things- acting and dressing up. It also didn't hurt that Evie has been pretending to be people she isn't for most of her life. Mal found herself watching Evie more than she watched the teachers. Her smile was dazzling and her eyes always filled with joy whenever she got an answer right. Evie hardly smiled before attending Auradon. She was always happy, yes, but her mother always warned her about wrinkles whenever she smiled. But here she always forgot herself and smiled anyway. It was one of the few nice changes the school did. 

 

The class ended and Mal was taken out of her daydream. As she stood up to collect her things, the teacher said something (for once) that caught her attention.

 

“Don’t forget- if you’re running for Student Council, applications are due on Wednesday! Don’t be afraid to run for Student Council!” Mal thought it over. A spot on Student Council would be good practice for running the world one day. If she could handle a bunch of horny, criminal freshmen she could handle the rest of the human race. She decided to talk it over with her mother that evening.

 

She walked down the hall to her next class to find Carlos chasing Jay down the hall.

 

_ “Is it finally happening?” _ she wondered with (slight) glee as she started for the door. As much appealing as her minions’ drama was, she had to get to class. She did however, whisper a small spell so she could hear their conversation. A small, glittery green cloud followed the two and mal could hear everything that they said. She hoped she wouldn’t get to hear anything regrettable.

 

llll

 

“Jay please tell me why you’re upset with me!” Carlos begged chasing after the taller boy. He received nothing but silence.

 

“Jay please!” Carlos caught sight of the janitor’s closet and a decision he would either come to regret or be the best decision he ever made came to mind. He took out the lock breaker he fixed over the weekend and put it on the door. When it became unlocked he caught Jay off guard and threw him into the closet. Carlos joined him and wrapped himself around one of Jay’s legs. 

 

“I’m not letting go until you talk.” Carlos said looking up at him. “I also know if you teleport, I go with you so you’re stuck with me.”

 

Jay tried not to look at Carlos on his knees. His big eyes made him look so vulnerable. But he was weak and gave in.

 

Damn Carlos and his big, beautiful brown eyes. That bastard. 

 

“I’m sorry,” he tried to ignore how cute he looked on his knees. “When I saw Lonnie kiss you, I just got upset.”

 

“Why?”

 

“I asked you if you liked her and you said ‘no’. But you lied and let her kiss you.” Jay crossed his arms to suppress the pounding of his heart. “You know I don’t like liars Carlos.”

 

“I didn’t lie I swear!” Carlos didn’t let go of his leg, in case Jay was lying and tried to get away. “She kissed me. For being a friend! She said she doesn’t like boys!”

 

“She doesn’t? Harriet is going to win this bet?” Carlos felt that Jay was getting a little hysterical over the wrong thing.

 

“She doesn’t like girls either.” He quickly said. “She’s ace. I told her the term and she kissed me for giving her a label. It was a friendly kiss I swear!” Jay relaxed at this and looked down at his friend.

 

“I’m sorry C. for ignoring you.” 

 

“It’s okay.” Carlos looked away from Jay. “I just hate it when you’re mad at me.”

 

“Can you get off of me now.”

 

“As long as you don’t disappear on me.” Carlos untangled himself from Jay’s legs. Jay lent Carlos his hand, which he took and was pulled into a hug. Carlos took in a deep breath, glad his… friend finally forgave him.

 

llll

 

Ben sitting with Chad and his friends at lunch trying to come up with his speech for the assembly in two weeks. It was an anti-drug assembly and he was drawing blanks, save for a few cliches. 

 

“Dude calm down.” said Chad flicking a french fry at Ben’s face. 

 

“Sorry, but I’m trying to work on my time management skills. If I complete this speech during lunch I can still make time to study for my math quiz.” 

 

“Bro, you’re putting a lot of energy into a one minute speech.”

 

“I just want to do a good job.”

 

“Take a deep breath. Finish your food or I’ll do it for you. You know how much I love cheeseburgers.” Chad replied in a teasing voice.

 

Ben took a bite out of his burger. “Has the coach found replacements for the two Freshmen yet?”

 

“No, I’m helping him look for new players. I haven’t seen many of the freshmen yet but only those Gaston brothers are aggressive enough to be on the team. But, I don’t want any villains on our team.” 

 

“Chad, their parents are villains. They are innocent.” Chad scoffed and took a sip of his Gatorade.

 

“Well tell their classmates that. I saw one of them shove a kid into a locker last week.”

 

“It’s not their fault.” Chad raised an eyebrow at his boyfriend. “Their parents taught them. They don’t know any better.”

 

“Ben, they’re not puppies they have consciences. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree remember? I doubt being the kids of villains will let their consciences tell them to be kind or nice or whatever. They’re just like their parents.”

 

Ben wanted to argue but he knew Chad was firmly stuck in his ways. As charming as his parents were, they both had deep set prejudices against villains. Chad knew what they thought of them and now he thought it too. He wanted to argue with Chad and change his ways but decided this wasn’t worth the argument. He was after all, still his boyfriend.

 

llll

 

On uptown part of Auradon, Audrey was having dinner with her grandparents. Her parents were out of town again so she had to stay with her grandparents. It was no special dinner, just something their chef whipped up. Dinner was quiet as usual and the awkward tension was thick in the air. 

 

“How was your day at school dear?” Inquired Audrey's grandfather. 

 

“Very well thank you Grandfather.” Answered Audrey politely. 

 

“Did Maleficent’s spawn bother you again?” Her grandmother asked in a disapproving tone. 

 

“No, she was busy terrorizing other freshmen.” Audrey felt bad for them but really, it was good practice for the real world. Once Mal becomes a villain they will have at least some passing knowledge on how to defeat her. It’s every super for themselves in the real world.

 

“Well I still think your school should contain her. She shouldn't be allowed to run around like that.” She patted her lips with her napkin. “Delinquents like her will only become villains, even worse if they have a family history like hers.”

 

“Yes well the school is doing all they can.” Audrey didn't want to talk about Mal anymore. It's all her family wanted to talk about since school started. That and her grades. “I just try not to provoke her and ignore her as much as possible.”

 

“Hmmm. Well as long as you're kept safe my dear.” Grandmother said softly with a small smile on her face. “We would hate for you to get hurt.”

 

“Of course.” 

 

“How is Ben doing?” Audrey instantly brightened at the mention of her boyfriend. Her grandparents only knew she was dating Ben and no one else, partly because they wouldn’t approve of her dating so many people and another part because they rarely asked about her personal life. But Ben was a model boyfriend and one her family could be proud of her to be dating. 

 

“Ben is great, I'm actually helping him with his campaigns. He wants to make sure he stays president until senior year. I'm advertising him in the school paper.”

 

“Well, as long as you make time for your studies.” Audrey's smile faltered a bit. She knew she had to study. She knew she had to keep up her perfect GPA. She knew she had to become valedictorian. She knew she had to get into an Ivy. She knew grades are the only thing that her family cared for. Her mother was always harping on her about all the opportunities she had that were not available for her. Her father always called to make sure her grades wouldn't slip. Her grandparents would always ask how her classes were. She knew grades were important. She knew. 

 

“Of course I'll have time for my studies.” Her smile was still up. “I always make time for my studies.”

 

llll

 

Mal walked home from the bus, her Student Council Application in hand. She could hardly wait to tell her mother. Her mother would tell her that Student Council is idiotic and nothing compared to ruling the world but she already had a counterargument ready. She even had Evie put makeup on her face to look more mature for her mother. 

 

When Mal walked into her house she found Jafar and her mother sitting at the dining room table drinking wine. When Maleficent saw Mal enter she smiled. It was wide and bared far too many teeth. It made Mal slightly uncomfortable but she recognized the smile. Her mother wanted something from her. It made Mal’s heart flutter a bit. She enjoyed it when her mother found her useful.

 

“Mal, come sit down. Jafar was just telling us about the museum. Apparently his son, that  _ friend  _ of yours has found something of great interest there.” Mal didn’t like the way her mother said the word ‘friend’. She was not friends with him. He was her… minion. He just hung around her and obeyed her commands, nothing else.

 

“Yes,” Mal felt uncomfortable looking at a smiling Jafar but continued to look him in the eye. “Jay found where they have been keeping our old suits and weapons. The museum.”

 

“Now, since your school is having their little field trip to that place I thought it would be the perfect time to strike.”

 

“What are you saying mother?” Mal thought she understood but if she thought she was thinking well, Mal could not even think of failing. 

 

“I’m saying, I want you to steal it back.” Maleficent almost looked irritated but kept her face calm. 

 

“I understand.” Mal hoped her glee didn’t show through her poker face. She couldn’t have her mother think she was too childish to handle the personal mission. 

 

Maleficent smiled. “Good, Jafar you can go.” Jafar raised a brow but didn’t say anything as he exited from the room. Maleficent turned to Mal, face gone sour. It soured Mal’s mood as well.

 

“I want you to know that I’m not giving this assignment to you because I think you can do it. I’m giving it to you because I have no other choice.” Mal nodded. “If I could get it I would but,” she gestured to the ankle bracelet. “I can’t. I can’t even send my own minions out to get it so I’m relying on you for this one.” She leaned over, looking straight into Mal’s eyes. Mal felt hot. “Don’t fuck it up.” She said putting careful accentuation on each word.

 

Maleficent leaned back and with a more charming smile and kinder voice said, “If you can pull this off and I get free from these chains I will teach you everything you need to know about your powers” She put her hand on Mal’s shoulder. This is the first time her mother had ever touched her. “And you can rule the world by my side.”

 

Mal felt a rush of happiness pass though her at the mention of ruling the world with her mother. Her mother might finally be proud of her. 

 

“I promise you mother, I will not fail you.” Mal said with a serious and determined voice.

 

llll

 

Phillip woke up with a shock. He had a dream and it was not a good one. There was fire and bodies everywhere. Chaos run rampant through the streets and anarchy filled the air. He woke Aurora with fear in his voice. 

 

“We have to go home.” he jumped out of bed and hurriedly put his clothes on.

 

“Why?” He looked at her straight in the eye. Even in the dark Aurora could see the fear in his eyes.

 

With a shaky voice he said, “I think I had a vision of the Apocalypse.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed this. I promise the next chapter will come much sooner than this one did. Please leave a comment down below and have a great day!


	12. Let's Get This Started

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are starting to get into motion- Mal plots, Evie ponders, and Jay & Carlos do sports.

When Maleficent dismissed her, Mal ran to her room. She excitedly texted Evie about the mission her mother gave her. She guessed Jafar already told Jay and Jay told Carlos, who didn’t have a phone yet. Mal was excited- she was going to lead a mission. But she could not fail. It was not an option.

 

 _I need you to give me all the details that you can about the museum. Parties and everything_ _._ Mal texted.

 

_Evie is typing…._

 

 _Well, according to the rumour mill other than the field trip, Ben has access to the museum because his parents run it for their day job._ Mal found herself impressed at Evie’s business-like attitude toward the mission. She smiled before replying to the text.

 

 _We could take some recon during the trip. Can you get someone to take notes for us?_ Her mother would kill her if she got a low score on a test, regardless of plans to take over the world.

 

 _No problem_ _._ Evie was happy that Mal was counting on her. She was happy to be useful.

 

_I can befriend Ben before then so he can take me at night. I’ll tell him it’s for school or something._

 

_I like your determination. Are you sure it wouldn’t be better for me to seduce him?_

 

_I am capable of anything._

 

 _Who said anything about seduction?_ Mal couldn’t imagine herself selling herself to a guy like Evie.

 

 _I am befriending him._ Mal wrote.

 

 _Interesting. But are you sure you don’t want me to talk to him? My mother has trained me to be charming._ Evie hoped it didn’t sound rude, but her mother had been teaching her to seduce rich boys since she was a toddler. It seemed more of a job suited for her.

 

Mal couldn’t help but be insulted. She was plenty charming. But she had to be practical about this. Evie had the highest chance of succeeding. But this was also her mission. Her mother was counting on _her_.

 

 _Fine. You may try it._ Mal texted, biting her lip. She made a face and quickly added. _After I finish my attempts._

 

 _Well, you’ll probably stay on track anyway. Ben has nice eyes._ Evie texted.

 

 _Would you like me to give you pointers instead? So that I don’t have to be the backup plan?_ Evie texted her. This would give her a good excuse to hang out with Mal.

 

‘That would be good,’ Mal thought. If Ben got bombarded with too many VKs, people may get suspicious. They couldn’t afford to arouse suspicion. Plus it would give her an excuse to hang out with Evie more.

 

 _Sure. That would be great._ Mal couldn’t help but smile and Evie couldn’t help but smile like a maniac.

 

llll

 

Mal and Evie were in the library, reading taking notes on their assigned reading. Audrey and Ben walked in. Audrey walked in like a model walking down a runway, and Ben effortlessly looked attractive walking next to her. Mal made a face to Evie and jerked her head towards the couple.

 

“Let me do your makeup first.” Evie asked holding up her compact mirror and pale pink lip gloss. “Please.” She stuck out her bottom lip and made her eyes look wider. The epitome of innocence. Mal cursed herself for giving in to Evie’s charms.

 

 _If you think it will increase our chances._ Mal internally thought bitterly. “Make it quick.” She closed her eyes and let Evie work her magic. Evie couldn’t do much because she had to make it quick but still made Mal look acceptable. She just applied the sparkly pale pink lip gloss that made Mal’s lips look so kissable and some light blush, that made Mal almost look innocent. At least as innocent as a purple haired, smirking known delinquent could look. But she still looked very attractive and approachable which was a positive for them.

 

“You’re good.” Evie said with a smile and Mal opened her eyes. In the mirror that Evie was holding up she looked decent. The makeup was more feminine than what she was used to but that was okay. Ben liked his girls feminine. That Audrey was evidence of that. Mal nodded to Evie and left, walking towards the sophomores.

 

Mal sat next to the couple, pretending to ignore their presence completely by reading her book. Audrey tried the same but couldn’t help but feel anger towards the freshman. She and Ben continued talking about his speech.

 

“I was thinking maybe end with a joke, to comfort them. End on a high note.” Audrey said. “Maybe a pun of some sort. Puns are always good.” Mal scoffed. _Puns were for losers._

 

“Do you have something to say?” Audrey asked defensively looking at the purple haired girl.

 

“Oh nothing. Continue writing your cliche. I can tell it’s going great.” The sarcasm dripped from her voice like venom.

 

“Too much?” Ben asked sheepishly.

 

“It’s great Benny-boo.” Audrey didn’t think it was that great but she disliked the way Mal looked at her boyfriend even more. “Don’t listen to a freshman.”

 

“You know you’re trying awfully hard to work on a speech, no one will care enough to listen to.”

 

“Well, better do it right the first time, than do it over and over again.” Ben said with pride in his voice.

 

“That’s cute.”

 

“You think you can do better?” challenged Audrey.

 

Mal smirked. “Well, since you’re asking.” She told her with a faux humble tone. She got up and sat at the chair next to them. She took the note cards out of his hands and started editing it with her green pen.

 

“But that’s just my opinion.” She said handing it back. Audrey looked at it and was ashamed to say it was slightly better than what she and Ben had been working the last period on. She grabbed her blue pen and made some minor adjustments to it (like the spelling mistakes and curse words) and handed it to Ben. He read it over and crossed out some things, rewriting others.

 

“This is actually pretty great.” he gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Thanks Audrey.” He turned to Mal with a warm smile. “And thank you Mal.”

 

“No problem. Just let me know if you want any more of my help later.” she said returning to her reading with a smile on her face. Audrey didn’t like the tone she gave Ben. It was so suggestive.

 

“Well, I’ll go print this version out. Catch you later.” He waved bye and left the two girls by themselves, unaware of the tension between the two.

 

Audrey turned to Mal with narrow eyes. “I know what you’re trying to do.”

 

One part of Mal’s mind went on high alert and was thinking of various ways to get rid of Audrey or wipe her of her memory, while the other part was trying to reassure the other part that Audrey knew nothing.

 

“And what’s that?” she asked coolly, trying to keep her voice steady.

 

“You’re trying to corrupt Ben into becoming a villain.” She got her face closer to the shorter girl. “Well, you should give up because I’m not going to let that happen.”

 

Internally, Mal sighed. Externally, she gave a smirk and responded in the most sugary sweet voice that she could conjure up. “I’m trying to be a good person, Audrey. I understand it’s hard for a person like me to change but I’m doing my best. I mean Ben is the son of the Beast, and if the Beast could change his destiny, then so can I.”

 

Audrey almost bought this until she remembered this girl was raised by the most evil villain of all time so she knew how to lie. “The difference between you and the Beast is that the Beast had someone who loved him and a soul. Knowing your mother, I’m not one hundred percent sure you have either.”

 

Audrey knew it was a low blow and regretted the words immediately once she saw Mal’s reaction. It was miniscule, any untrained eye would have missed it, but she saw the wide eyes, the slightly open mouth, and the tears that threatened to fall from her face. But it was gone in a second and Mal’s face betrayed nothing. Mal closed her eyes and smiled, shaking her head and returning to her book. She acted like this comment didn’t bother her but Audrey knew better. She did this to herself quite often. Audrey left her, one part understanding she needed to be alone, another part because she didn’t know how to apologize. A while after she left, Audrey watched Mal get up and go to the bathroom. She needed to find a way to make it up to her.

 

lllll

In the lunchroom, Jay was going over the details of his deal with Harriet. Upon the knowledge of Lonnie’s sexuality, there was no way for either party to win. They had called Marina to remove the deal, and paid her some interest for the trouble. Say what you will about villains, at least they kept their word.

 

“Carlos said she was ace. She won’t date either one of us.” Jay told Harriet in a serious tone. Carlos could almost laugh at how seriously they took this bet. He was surprised neither of them stole a suitcase or glasses.

 

“You don’t know that for certain.” Harriet was in deep denial about this. She wanted those chocolates from Switzerland. She wanted Lonnie too of course, but she mostly wanted those chocolates more.

 

“Carlos, tell her what happened.” told Jay wrapping his arm around his smaller friend.

 

“We were in the bathroom and she said she didn’t like either of you guys. Nothing personal, just she doesn’t want to date either of you.” Carlos tried to sound blunt but he felt himself weaken under Harriet’s stare. Jay’s arm felt nice and safe around Carlos but he still couldn’t help but be scared of Harriet’s glare. But the girl relented and huffed holding her hands up.

 

“Fine. The deal is off and neither of us have to uphold the terms. It was a good competition Jay.” She stuck her hand out. Jay shook it, neither of them quite happy with the results. “I’ll see you in bio.” She walked away, leaving the two boys alone with their lunches.  Jay took his arm off of Carlos and ate the cookie he ‘found’ on the lunch table.

 

“Thanks ‘Los for telling me about Lonnie. I thought I was losing my charm and Harriet was going to win.”

 

“What charm?” smiled Carlos. Jay smiled at him and gave him a punch to the shoulder. Carlos punched him back with a chuckle and Jay put him in a lockhold.

 

“You little rascal!” Jay shouted as he gave Carlos a noogie. Carlos slipped from his grasp and pushed him off the bench. Jay teleported before he could hit the ground, and reappeared to Carlos’s side, pushing him off the seat with a smile. Carlos laughed before Jay teleported on top of him, pinning Carlos’s hands above his head. Jay could feel Carlos’s warm body and hear his heart beat faster from under him. His friend needed to work out more.

“Mr. Jobrani! Mr. de Vil! Stop this fighting at once.” Headmistress Fairchild said, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. The two boys looked up at her. “My office. Now please.” She said in a sweet, but stern voice. “And, don’t teleport there. Just follow me.”

 

Both boys rolled their eyes, and followed their principal. When they arrived in her office, a blue kettle was pouring tea into a tiny, blue teacup in midair. The office itself was very plain. An oak desk was in front of the window overlooking the quad and had pictures of her and family and friends and former students on it. In shiny silver letters on a plaque was Headmistress Fairchild’s name.

 

“Would you boys like a cup?” Headmistress Fairchild asked, sitting in her chair.

 

Jay shook his head but Carlos accepted the warm drink that floated to him. He didn’t appear to particularly enjoy the drink but finished it off none the less. It was getting chillier out, and he was trying to gain as much warmth as possible. Cruella’s mind was growing worse and worse like the weather and he needed to prepare himself if she stopped paying the bills.

 

“Now,” Headmistress Fairchild started, placing the teacup down and ignored it as it bowed and hopped away to join the rest of its set. Jay seemed to be the only one who noticed this. He might be tired from all the errands his father made him run but he could have sworn that teacup had a face.

 

“I am aware that young boys such as yourselves have a lot of energy in yourselves. I’m also aware that you think that having superpowers means that you can rough house each other whenever and wherever. However, just like any other school we have rules. And one of them-” She held out her hand to the side and the school rule book flew into her hand. “Is that we do not start fights with anyone.” She showed them the page where it was stated, proudly glowing in silver letters.

 

“We were just rough housing, Ma’am. It’s not a big deal.” Carlos defended. When she turned her attention away from Jay and onto him, he shrunk into his seat.

 

“Yeah we do it all the time.” Jay protested, getting Carlos away from Headmistress Fairchild’s attention.

 

“Well, perhaps we can find you some sort of extracurricular that you two can release your energies into shall we? The fall sports is always accepting new players, no matter how late in the season. Are you boys interested in Tennis? Lacrosse? Golf?”

 

“We’re not interested in any of those.” Jay said with a grimace. Those were sports were for privileged, white people whose parents were superheroes. Neither he nor Carlos were any of those things.

 

“Nonsense.” Headmistress Fairchild. “The school would love to have the two of you on any one their teams.” A small potted plant seemed to catch the headmistress's attention and nodded her head like she understood. “The boys’ Lacrosse team has two openings in fact. How about after school you too attend a practice?” The smile on her face said it was optional but her eyes told the boys it most definitely was not.

 

llll

  
  


Evie was in French class trying her best not to fall asleep. Her mother had kept her up the previous night with lessons on how to get Chad Charming to fall in love with her. It was the same formula that her mother had her follow since she was a little girl.

 

First, lose weight. Her mother already had that covered with the special diet. It seemed to be working as Evie lost four pounds since starting it but it wasn’t working fast enough. She was going to blame it on the water she drank. Which brings her to the second step...

 

Second, wear more complementary clothes. Grimhilde had Evie create an entirely new wardrobe. She didn’t have a lot of fabrics so she had to be very careful and thrifty about the clothes. She couldn’t afford to look cheap or out of style. Evie had to make them two sizes smaller to motivate her to lose weight. He liked leggy girls which Evie had found out after a quick lesson from Carlos on how to hack into Chad’s instagram account.

 

Third, after discovering what that particular target was into, recreate yourself in that image. Judging from Chad’s Instagram, Facebook, Finsta, YouTube, and Twitter,  Evie had discovered Chad had a type. He liked girls with great bodies, and short skirts. She would have both very quickly if she stuck to her diet. He liked girls who knew something about Lacrosse and would be there to come to his games. The two main girls in his pictures tended to be Audrey and her friend. She thinks her name is Estelle, but she can’t be quite sure. Maybe she could find a way to hang out with them more and they could set her up. The two of them were on the cheerleading team which Evie was interested in joining. But her mother said ‘no’ because proper ladies do not do sports. Which Evie was fine with, really, because as much as guys cheerleaders Evie did not want to be sweaty.

 

Chad also needed tutoring in Chemistry, according to school network. Evie would definitely help him with that. Grimhilde was delighted her daughter could find a use for her powers that was used to get their target, rather than kill him. Grimhilde had kept Evie up so they could go through old chemistry books. Evie saw an equation to increase someone’s hormones towards certain people. It was essentially a love spell. But when Evie asked her mother, Grimhilde’s face fell for a fraction of a second before telling her daughter if it failed, because of Evie’s lack of experience, they would sink themselves into even deeper debt and trouble. They would remain in this neighborhood forever. But Evie was glad that her mother taught her more chemistry. Before, Grimhilde would neglect the topic completely unless it was useful for catching a man. She was given more educational uses for the length of her skirt rather than how to stop accidently putting arsenic in the adults’ drinks. (Evie thanked whoever was watching over her, that the government had cursed all the adults to be immortal and would only cough up the poison.) Now, they bonded and she got stronger, mentally and physically. No more poison in people’s drinks. She hoped anyway, it’s only been one night. She was tired of that one chemistry book her mother had given her before. With these new books, Evie learned a great deal of new techniques that she could use in school or with other people. (Chad aside, she was able to find a way to burn Claudine Frollo’s plain face off. Oh how that bitch will burn...)

 

“Mademoiselle Evie,” spoke the teacher taking Evie out of her thoughts. “Can you locate the River Seine on the map please?”

 

“Of course Madame.” It felt weird calling a teacher ‘madame’. It was usually used to address Madame Gothel when she was at work. But the French were weird. She should have taken Spanish, as she was fluent in that. The man who used to hang around her mother a lot spoke a lot of Spanish to her when she was young. But alas, her mother chose French so she was stuck finding the River Seine on a map. At least the class had a mirror she could count on.

 

“Where is the River Seine?” she asked aloud. The mirror became foggy with gray smoke swirling around before clearing to show where the river was on a general map. “It’s right here.” she pointed to a river near Paris.

 

“Correct.” The teacher said with her infamous poker face. She did keep her eye on the blue haired girl as she went to her seat though. Evie didn’t know what her deal was. She never told the class her powers so Evie couldn’t tell if the teacher was jealous of her or not.

 

“Of course madame.” She gave a slight curtsey before returning to her seat. She began to daydream about the food she was going to eat once her diet was over. The teacher called on her again and Evie was taken out of her thoughts once again.

 

llll

 

The lacrosse field was not what Carlos expected. He imagined it as a small place with silver stands for the crowd. Like the ones on TV. But this place… It was beautiful. Carlos rarely spent time outside mostly because his neighborhood was not the safest place to hang out. There were dogs, and people who ran rampant in the streets. The adults didn’t have powers but ever since Carlos caused a tiny hole in the barrier turning everyone’s powers off, the adults have taken advantage of their children having powers. Carlos had no idea why no government officials noticed this but wasn’t going to complain too much.

 

But if his neighborhood looked like this, he might actually spend time outside. It was a large field, with bright, healthy grass. There was a forest surrounding the four sides of the field, as well as bleachers on each length of the field. The bus had flown onto the side of the field, so the place was secluded, far from prying eyes. Carlos tried to remember the ride to the field but his memory failed him. He concluded the field was enchanted so no one would remember its location. Why no one should know of his location was beyond him.

 

The coach turned his key into the single, metal box in the field and two nets rose out of a hole, beneath the field. Jay was very excited about that. The coach gave him a lacrosse stick from a former student that Jay and Carlos could use.

 

“Alright, usually I don’t like walk ons but since we are down two players we’ll take you.” the coach said as the other boys got settled down. “But that doesn’t mean we’re going to go easy on you. In fact, you two will have to work twice as hard to catch up with the rest of the boys. They’ve been practicing since August. Now,” Coach blew his whistle and the team came running to him. “Four laps now!” he barked and the boys took off running.

 

Jay was a little out of breath while running, as he was used to teleporting everywhere. But by the fourth lap he was all warmed up and ready to go. Carlos on the other hand, while used to running, was used to running fast for short intervals and was panting by the third lap.

 

Next came drills. Neither boy were used to holding a lacrosse stick but Jay adapted quickly after pretending it was a lightsaber. He would say he was pretending it was his father’s staff but Carlos made him watch Star Wars and could hear Jay make swooshing noises every time he spun the stick around. Jay was a nerd at heart. The two boys were unfortunately not partnered together, instead they were paired with other freshmen who had been training since August. The guy Carlos was partnered with threw the ball to hard at Carlos, who would always duck for cover. Jay picked up the sport rather quickly but threw the ball to hard at his partner.

 

The Coach blew his whistle and the team huddled around him. He gave a mesh bag to one of the players and told them to pass it around until it was emptied. One side got pinnies, while the other was pinnie-less.

 

“We have a game this weekend. Let’s scrimmage!” he blew the whistle once again and the two sides divided themselves. Jay wore the pinnie while Carlos did not. The two of them were on the bench for the first half of the scrimmage, watching and learning from the other boys. Carlos was terrified about how aggressive the boys were but silently intrigued by the game. Jay was enthusiastic. He had a place where he could beat people up without any cops be called. He would have to thank the Headmistress later.

 

“Jay, Carlos, you’re replacing replacing Henry and George.” Jay jumped up, pulling Carlos by his shirt. The two boys they were replacing had dirt on their clothes. Carlos hoped he wouldn’t get any stain on his shirt. This sport took up enough of his time.

 

Jay took the offensive position behind Chad who threw the lacrosse ball into the air.  One kid caught it and started running in the direction of the goal. His opponents ran around him, trying to steal the ball from him. He threw the ball and Jay caught it.

 

“Run!” Yelled Coach. He wanted to see what the new kids would do.

 

Jay began to run. The defense tried to block the boy but Jay swerved away from his opponent’s reach. He cradled the ball and ran like a pro. One of the defenses tried to block him but Jay knocked him down with ease, the ball still in its basket. Coach was impressed, most new players used their powers on their first day but Jay didn't use his teleportation once. He was a good kid. He would have to send a gift basket to the headmistress. Jay threw the ball into the net and scored the first goal for his team.

 

Carlos was on defense for the opposing team. While he was on the sidelines he tried to pay attention so he wouldn’t get killed. He memorized all the boys’ movements, what to do and when to do them. The tall guy with dreadlocks was agile and had fancy footwork. The shorter, fair skinned boy wasn’t fast but he was able to knock down anybody in his way. When the brunette- Carlos thinks he’s the class president- had the ball, he would always throw it to his left and his blond friend would always catch it. Carlos had all the players’ moves memorized. But knowing an opponent’s moves was a lot less difficult than applying it to the field.

 

For starters, Carlos hardly had any time to react when all the boys would come running at him. When they ran at him, he kindly stepped out of their way. When they passed the ball to him, he ducked to the ball would be passed to another player. He was hoping for a small amount of mercy from the other boys that they did not give him.

 

Ben was on the bench chugging his water bottle. He watched the VKs play with the side of his eye. He was glad to see that the VKs were willing to get out of their comfort zones.

 

“That Carlos kid…” Coach muttered. Ben could see the downsides to having him on the team. His head turned just in time to see that poor boy was nearly trampled by the taller boys. It was painful to see an unathletic boy on the team. He would be a small annoyance to the team if he kept this up. But he also saw an upside to having a VK on the team so he swooped in tp the fair haired boy’s defense.

 

“I can train him Coach. Headmistress sent him to us for a reason, and you don’t want to anger her.” Ben told him.

 

“Alright.” Chad was knocked down. “Tell Chad we’ve still got to work on our footwork. He can join you with Carlos.”

 

“What do you mean?” Lacrosse was Chad’s life, if he didn’t have that, what does he have left? (Ben wanted to say their relationship but he knew it wasn’t enough for Chad.)

 

“He’s been doing great, skill-wise. But, he’s been slower than usual. Make sure he gets his head out of the gutter this week. He hasn’t unlocked all of his potential.” Coach had a point. Ben had to wonder if Chad’s grades were bothering him more than he let on or if his dad was giving him a hard time.

 

“You got it Coach.” the coach checked the time and put the whistle in his mouth. After a few second he blew it and the boys ran around him. Except for Carlos who was really out of breath.

 

“Great scrimmage boys.” Coach said, impressed by Jay’s aggressive but slightly illegal skills. He was a great addition to the team and Coach found his mind turning at all the new plays they could make. “Jay, great first day, remind me to introduce you to the rule book before our first game. Carlos, Ben has volunteered himself to work with you. Hit the showers.”

 

As the other boys began to crowd around Jay, Carlos was left behind carrying the lacrosse bag over his shoulder.

 

Ben waited for Carlos to catch up with the other boys. “You did great out there, trust me.” He wrapped his arm around the smaller boy’s shoulder. Carlos looked up to the smiling boy.

  
Ben was nice, sure, but Carlos wasn’t convinced on the sport itself. He wasn’t sure if he liked it or not. The guys were too aggressive for Carlos’s liking, he had grass stains on his clothes, and his legs ached from all the running. But when he entered the locker room, his eyes landed on Jay who was crowded by their teammates in the locker room, shirtless, and the warm feeling in his chest grew more prominent.  ‘This sport,’ he thought ‘Is worth the grass stains.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Lunar New Year! The plot is finally getting in motion. Sorry I didn't update sooner but it's here now. I'm going to upload the next one soon I promise. I need something to get me through this year. Please leave comments and kudos! Have a great day!


	13. Saturday Mornings are No Fun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mal decides to put the plan into action but she still has to deal with little bumps in the road.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Runs in late with Starbucks* I am so sorry I didn't update sooner but school and life in general made it difficult to get in some writing time. But I'm back now and working on the next chapter. Thank you for all your reviews and kudos, they really make it worth writing this.
> 
> Warning: This chapter contains child abuse and a non-graphic panic attack.

Early on Saturday morning, Mal sent a group text to the VKs. She texted them, calling for a meeting for an evil plan she had cooking up. She gave no details other than to be at her house at 7 a.m. sharp. The rest of the group hated this idea but they weren’t going to fight Mal.

 

llll

 

Except for Jay. Jay was going to sleep in purely out of spite.

  
  


llll

Evie was always an early riser. But that didn’t mean she had to like it. Since she always woke up at 5 a.m. (5:30 is she was feeling rebellious), Evie was not a morning person. It had been instilled into her mind since birth to never leave her room without looking perfect. Even if she was just going to a friend’s house, she would never know if said friend had a rich boy in her basement who had the potential to fall in love with her. But this was Mal so the chance of her keeping rich boys in her basement were slim to none. (Unless she was going to show them it was Ben locked up in her basement so they could turns extracting information from them. But Mal had a tendency to be selfish so Evie highly doubted she would invite them all over for that.)

 

Evie put on a blue sweater dress, blue leggings, knee high knitted socks, white scarf, and black booties. She just put on some simple foundation, concealer, mascara, eyeliner, lip gloss, blush, eyebrow tint, and eyeshadow. She would leave her false eyelashes and good eyeshadow for school. Her friends would still call her pretty without the eyelashes.

 

Grimhilde was not up, often preferring to wake closer to the afternoon. Evie envied her mother’s lack of responsibilities and her abundance of beauty sleep. Evie didn’t know what time she would be back (Mal loved herself speak) so she left a plate of baby carrots and strawberry flavored water for her mom. Grimhilde always made sure her daughter knew two things- household chores and makeup. Makeup would always be Evie’s number one priority because looking beautiful always led to doors of happiness and opportunities. People treated you better if you were prettier after all. As for chores, well, Grimhilde counted on her daughter for all of the household chores. 

 

Grimhilde said household knowledge was to be the ideal housewife for potential rich boys who couldn’t care for themselves. Evie used to stay up and imagine a tall, handsome boy who had been cut off by his very wealthy parents was now living on his own. He would fall for Evie and change his ways for her, leading his parents to give him back his fortune. Then he and Evie would ride off into the sunset with a million dollars to his house in Europe with lots and lots of mirrors. But Evie was positive her mother was far too used to having maids cleaning up after her. Evie never complained though, good girls never complained. And Evie wanted to act like a good girl. She had to act like a good girl.

 

llll

 

Mal woke up earlier than she did on most weekends. She quickly got dressed into an outfit that she felt said, ‘I’m here and I mean business.’ It was a peplum blouse with spikes on the shoulders, dark jeans, and steel toed boots. She walked down her steps to the kitchen to make sure her servants were working. One servant poured a glass of water for her and she gladly took it.

 

“Goblin!” She called the chef. “My minions are coming over, prepare snack foods!”

 

The short man nodded and got to work. Mal trusted him, and knew he would get the job done so she left to prepare her presentation. She carried her easel to the dining room that her mother strictly left for PTA meetings. She put up the poster board with the plans for each member of her team. 

 

She would start off with Evie because Evie would arrive first. Evie has been and always been the most loyal and reliable member of Mal’s team. Mal was just so lucky to have her around. It’s why she gave Evie the biggest part of Mal’s plan. Except for her own part of course. Evie was raised to be the most charming girl anyone would ever know and she did it well. 

 

Carlos would come next because as much as Mal would hate to admit it, he is the most skilled out of Mal’s entire team. Even if he had no powers, he was still a skilled hacker. He would be dealing with all of the important parts of the mission and Mal knew Carlos never messed anything up when he had his laptop on hand. Having him, made sure her plan was near perfect. 

 

As for Jay, he would just be the thief. Plain and simple. He knew everything about the museum- layouts, entrances, exits, secret passageways, security detail, everything. Mal knew Jay would be able to steal it. It would be a little tricky because Mal doubted he had ever stolen something so well protected but she knew he would get it in the end. It was Jay’s level of commitment Mal was concerned with. He never took things seriously (unless that ‘thing’ was a girl or gold) Or maybe, Carlos) and would always act out of spite. Mal would need to find a way to make sure he behaved...

 

There was a puff of smoke that clouded Mal’s vision for a quick second. Ask for the devil and he shall appear- Jay’s was resting on Mal’s table. He looked like an absolute mess. She poured a little of her water on his head. She let out a laugh when he sat up with a shocked yelp.

  
  
llll  
  


Cruella de Vil liked three things in the morning:

 

  1. Black coffee with lots of creamer and some sugar. Coffee was something she never knew would become a luxury when she became a villain. (Luckily her son loved her enough to grab it for her every morning.)
  2. A well cooked warm breakfast. Preferably eggs, bacon, and a mimosa. They were hard to come by in her neighborhood but she always had Carlos get some. (He knew what happens when he doesn’t.)
  3. The softness of real fur against her skin.



 

Cruella always had these things in the morning. If she didn’t well, then she would be in one of her moods and she couldn’t be held responsible for what happened when she was in them. Breakfast was the most important part of the day and if it was anything less than perfect, then she would make sure Carlos was sure she did not like it.

 

Carlos always got up early to make her breakfast and to clean her furs. As much as she liked smoking, she hated how the smell clinged to her babies. But since school was in session, he got up earlier than usual to make her food so her breakfast was never as warm as she would like it. She also liked to sleep in so Carlos hardly ever made a sound. But even Carlos couldn’t stay good for very long. She awoke to the sound of pots falling on the floor. That brat woke her up.

 

She got up and put her bunny fur slippers on. She stormed down the steps. She stood at the bottom of the steps and tapped her foot. 

 

Carlos was in the kitchen picking up the pots he dropped and looked at Cruella with an apologetic expression. Not that being sorry would do an good. Cruella started at him blankly as she lit her cigarette. She took in a deep drag and let out a cloud of smoke. Carlos continued to stare at her. He couldn’t blink. His eyes had to stay on her.

 

Finally she spoke, “Pick up all the pans.” Carlos did what he was told. He picked up all the pans and waited for her next set of directions. She said nothing as she walked past her son and washed her hands in the sink. She sat down to eat the cooling food at the table. One bite of the egg and she chewed slowly. Carlos’s hands were getting tired of holding the pans but she was not going to let him go. He would not let go.

 

The phone rang, causing Cruella to stop chewing. She drank her mimosa and with a satisfied, ‘Ahh’ spoke.

 

“Put the pots down in the sink and answer the phone.” Carlos gladly put the pots in the sank and dashed to the phone in the next room.

 

“Hello?” Carlos answered with the phone between his ear and shoulder. He shook his hands frantically to regain feeling. 

 

“Carlos? Why aren’t you here yet?” asked Mal. 

 

“I had to do something for my mom. I’ll be there soon, promise.”

 

“Well, don’t be surprised if we start without you.” Mal said crabbily before slamming her phone shut. 

 

Carlos put the phone down and walked back to the kitchen. Cruella was no longer there, and her plate had been picked clean. He put the plate in the sink and ran some water on it, leaving it there for him to clean when he got home. He ran out the door and down the street to Mal’s house. 

 

llll

 

When he rang the bell he was greeted by Mal who had her arms crossed and a disapproving look on her face. 

 

“You’re late.” Her voice was flat but Carlos could feel her disapproval in his veins. She moved herself so he could walk in.

 

“My mom needed me to do some chores.” He said while taking his shoes off. 

 

“Well at least you’re here now. Go to the dining room, I have to get more chips in the kitchen.” She pointed in the dining room’s direction and walked towards her kitchen. Carlos followed Mal’s direction and was greeted by his two friends and bowls of snack food that cried for Carlos to eat them. Evie looked wonderful as usual and Jay looked equally so. Even if his hair was likely knotted in fifteen different places. The poster with the plans at the end of the table stood proudly. It was Evie’s portion of whatever plan Mal got them roped into this time. She was probably planning an elaborate senior prank early.

 

He took a seat next to Jay who greeted him with a lazy smile. Mal came in with a newly filled bowl of chips. Carlos attacked the bowl and filled his mouth with the salty snack. Mal stood at the end of the table next to the poster with the plans. She had a ruler in her hand which Carlos knew she used the same way some people used a riding crop. 

 

“Okay, so as I was saying,” She slapped the ruler against the poster board. “Evie will be gathering information about the museum- guards, layouts, all the works.” She used the ruler to lift Evie’s face up so she could look at the blue haired girl in the eyes. “She will also be seducing boys for the information.”

 

Evie broke into a large grin.

 

The ruler quickly came out from under her and Evie’s face fell. Carlos stared at the end of the ruler.

 

“Now, Carlos I want you to monitor that wand. Sneak into the computer mainframe and extract as much data as you possibly can without being caught.

 

“Steal the wand?” Carlos cried. 

 

“Didn’t anyone tell you what we’re doing?” Mal asked with a raised brow. Her eyes moved to Jay who gave her a single shrug but his gaze was firmly on Carlos.

 

“We can steal stuff from people’s homes, from our school, but we cannot steal a wand!” Carlos cried. He couldn’t go to jail. He just couldn’t.

 

When they were younger, Mal would always make plans for evil things like vandalism or steal from their middle school. Short term plans that Mal said would prepare them for the real world. Carlos wasn’t ready for the real world. He wasn’t ready for prison. He wasn’t ready, he wasn’t ready…

 

Jay noticed how Carlos began to shake. It wasn’t wild shaking, it was more like he was vibrating with shortened breaths. Jay knocked the bowl of chips onto the floor.

 

“Oh no!” he said, “Carlos can you come to the kitchen with me?” Without a response, he supported the younger boy’s body weight on his shoulder and led him to the bathroom. Carlos tried to tell him to let him go, to shove him away, but Jay was too hardheaded to let him.

 

Neither boy noticed how Mal’s eyes followed them.

 

Jay sat Carlos down on the toilet seat cover and squatted in front of him. He grabbed his wrists and could feel the rapid pulse through his veins. Carlos tried to tear his hands away but Jay would not let go. Tears fell from his eyes and the shaking got worse.

 

“Carlos, Carlos look at me. Look at me.” Jay said looking at him. “Breathe. Breathe. Breathe with me.” Jay took in a deep breath and Carlos followed him. Jay’s grip loosened and Carlos was quick to take his hands out. He hugged himself and Jay made soft ‘shhh’ sounds. 

 

“Carlos what is the color of my hair?”

 

“Brown.” Carlos said.

 

“What is my name?” Carlos’s breathing had begun to die down at this point.

 

“Jay.”

 

“What is your name?” Tears stopped falling.

 

“Carlos.” 

 

“What are the Mario Brothers’ names?”

 

“Mario Mario and Luigi Mario.” Jay smiled. That fact was way too weird and a sign that Carlos was okay.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

“Yeah, yeah, no, I’m fine. I’m fine.” He wiped the tears with his sleeve. “I’m fine.”

 

“Alright, well clean yourself up.” He tore a piece of toilet paper off and handed it to Carlos. “We still have to go to the kitchen. Maybe we can even sneak some food for later.”

 

“That sounds great,” He sniffed. “Thanks.”

  
“Yeah no problem.” Jay stood up and held his hand out. Carlos took it and Jay pulled him into a half hug. Everything was going to be fine if he had Jay around.


	14. The Calm Before the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A day in the life of a hero's kid: Audrey has brunch with her family, Ben and Doug read, Mulan and Lonnie have a chat, and Jane talks with her mother. Everything is normal for now. But you know the old saying, everything is calm before the storm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warnings for: Mentions of bullying, self esteem issues, implied child neglect. Nothing is explicit and it's mostly happy.

Audrey applied soft pink matte lipstick onto her lips and blew a kiss into the mirror.

 

“That is a cute shade. What’s it called?” Asked Estelle who was lying on Audrey’s flower printed bedsheets. She was stayed at Audrey’s for a sleepover the night before. Although, neither of them did much sleeping. Something both girls were now regretting as Audrey’s grandparents were taking the girls for brunch after they pick up her parents from the airport. Though, Audrey was the more stressed out than tired because she hadn’t seen her parents since the summer.

 

“Um,” She looked at the label. “Sexy sirena. I got this awhile ago.”

 

“Really,” Estelle propped herself up to get a better look at her girlfriend. “Sexy sirena? Is that the one that tastes like peaches?”

 

Audrey turned to smile at her girlfriend. “Nice try. That’s my peach lipstick.”

 

“Are you sure? Maybe I can have a taste to make sure.” She leaned over towards Audrey with a sly smile on her face.

 

“As tempting as that sounds, I don’t think my parents would approve of messy makeup at brunch. We can do it after.”

 

“Why are your parents back anyway? I thought they were returning at the end of the month.”

 

“I don’t know,” Audrey replied putting her pearl earrings on. “Dad says there is something urgent he needs to be in town for. I think my mom organized the brunch so she can check up on me. How do I look?”

 

Audrey spun around to show Estelle her outfit. It was a lacy pink dress with a white cardigan over it. A pearl necklace and earrings peaked out from behind her curled hair. She had her clutch in one hand. “I’m thinking about wearing my oxfords with these. What do you think?”

 

“You look great. The oxfords would really match.”

 

“Good. Which shoes are you wearing?”

 

“Wedges. You know I like being tall.” Estelle said, jumping off the bed.

 

“You’re too tall for your own good.” Audrey said with a smile, looking up at her girlfriend. At 5”3, Audrey had to come to terms with her girlfriend's height of 5”9. Estelle laughed and picked her up. Audrey, on instinct, wrapped her legs around her.

 

“You love it, admit it.”

 

“Never!” Audrey said dramatically throwing her head back.

 

“Admit it!” Estelle spun around.

 

“I love it, I love it!” Audrey laughed before she was thrown onto the bed. Once the laughter died down, she smoothed her hair and got up.

 

“Okay, let’s go before my grandparents have to come in.” Estelle rolled her eyes and helped her girlfriend up.

 

AAAA

 

Ben and Doug were in the latter’s basement playing pool. Well, ‘playing’ would be a strong word. Neither boy knew the rules or the objective of the game. They weren’t even using the cues. They were crashing the balls into each other and enjoying the noise it made when they did.

 

“Do you think we should ever learn the rules of the game?” asked Ben.

 

“Nope.” Doug replied as his green ball scattered the triangle of balls in the center. “But I do think we should start working on our project.” He looked up at his boyfriend.

 

“One more game.” Ben said with a smile. Doug gave him a small smile in return as he put the balls in order. Ben looked at the ball in his hand, then to the triangle of balls, then back to the one in his hand. He have it a kiss and rolled the ball into the otherones, scattering them in every direction.

 

“Noice.” Doug said, slapping Ben’s back, “But we have to work on our project right now.”

 

“Alright, alright fine.” Ben said holding his hands up “Let’s work on your history paper.”

 

The two boys made their way to Doug’s family’s private library. Even though his family came from a line of sidekicks, they were always valued sidekicks to powerful supers who would always show their gratitude by giving them valuable books sidekicks had no need for. Hardly anyone in his family read the books, but they were good for display and Doug’s uncle suspected they would be worth enough to send Doug to college one day.

 

“What subject did you say you wanted to write about?”

 

“How systematic oppression has resulted in hereditary villainy.” Doug gave his boyfriend a look.

 

“Are you sure we should even _touch_ that subject? I mean, it’s pretty ambitious and, not to mention, very controversial. I mean, _your_ parents are supers.”

 

“Well I’ve done a bit of digging and with the exception of Grimhilde and maybe Cruella, all of the heroes have family members who were villains. Some cite their poor background as reasons why they started their misdeeds.”

 

“Misdeeds seems like too light of a word for trying to take over the world.” Doug said in a deadpanned voice. “Besides, information on this stuff is too limited. Maybe being bad is just in their blood rather than society’s doing.”

 

“I know it’s a limited research paper but I feel that Mr. Cricket will be sympathetic to the point I’m trying to make. And their bad blood is something I’m trying to prove wrong.”

 

“What does this even have to do with history?” Doug asked, his voice raising just the tiniest bit.

 

“The genealogy tree. Also we’re discussing all these acts and stuff so that comes into play.” Ben knew how Doug would respond to this and came prepared. Doug had to admit, he was impressed. He still wasn’t happy about it, but he was impressed.

 

“I don’t know any more ways to get you out of this mess so...” Doug led Ben to the back of the library and pulled out a golden book. “This is the be all, end all for all families. There’s some minor info about each person but it should have what you need. Some trees get a bit skewed because of affairs and whatever but it has everyone’s blood relatives in it, even if the person doesn’t know it yet.”

 

Ben held the book in his hand. “I was expecting a book like this to be older… with more dust.”

 

Doug stared at his boyfriend with a dead look in his eye. “Ben, it’s a magical book. It cleans itself and would bite us if we ever let a drop of dust fall on it.” He took the book back in his hands. “Just tell it to find a family and it will. Like this, Book find the Maxie family.”

 

The book flipped to find Audrey’s family. Under her portrait was her name and her favorite color and blood type.

 

“This is amazing!” Ben exclaimed, “Can it give me more information?”

 

“Um, I’ve never tried. Give it a go if you want. Like I said, my family doesn’t use this stuff a lot.” He gave the book to Ben.

 

“Alright, um… who should I…” Ben thought hard for an easy family. “Book look for the Stevens family.”

 

The Book flipped to his family with his face at the top of the tree. Under his name was his birthday and the name of the hospital he was born in. “Book more details on Ben Stevens.” The book flipped to a little bio page of himself that had details about his life from childhood to the present.

 

“Hey look at that,” Ben grinned at his boyfriend “‘Ben Stevens is reading ‘The Book of Genealogy’ by Alphonse.’” Ben read aloud. “You’re awesome man!”

 

“Thanks babe.” Doug said while blushing.

 

AAAA

 

Lonnie stood in her basement with her eyes closed. She focused her breathing to be in time with the beat. She began to nod her head to the beat.

 

 _1…. 2…. 3…..4….._ She counted each beat silently.

 

She stepped her right foot back, her body sideways, and her arms blocking her body. Her body moved with the music. She moved lightly on her toes, ducking under imaginary strings, and her arms were on either side of her. Her arms then went above her head and she twirled around. She kicked her left foot back and landed into a split before pushing herself into a squatting position. She threw her head back and stood up, facing her mirror. As she stood up, she clapped her hands with the beat in a circle, turning to her side.

 

Her mother, still in her military uniform, knocked on the wall from the top of the staircase. Lonnie noticed her and lowered the music.

 

“Hey mom.” She greeted, voice a little breathy from her dancing.

 

“Hey Lonnie.” Mulan replied with a smile.

 

“How was work? Can I get some insight on any of the top secret government activity you’re doing?” Lonnie joked as she sat down to stretch.

 

“Oh you know I can’t tell you about the government's plans to contact outer space and turn the moon into cheese.” Mulan said making her way down the stairs. Lonnie laughed as she held her arm across her chest.

 

“Of course not mom. That would be insane!”

 

“How was school?” Mulan asked more gently as she squatted down next to her daughter. Lonnie rolled her eyes, she knew where this was going.

 

“Don’t roll your eyes at me, I care. I want to know how you’ve been adjusting.”

 

“I’m fine mom. You don’t have to worry about a thing, I promise.”

 

“Lonnie, I know you. I won’t push you into talking but I just want you to know, I will always be here for you.” Mulan told her, looking into her daughter’s eyes.

 

“Thanks mom.” Lonnie appreciated her mom, honestly but sometimes she needed time to herself.

 

“So… tell me more about this Carlos boy. Are you sure he’s a good friend?”

 

“Of course mom! He’s great, in fact we’re working on an article together.” Lonnie lied. He hadn’t been to many meetings because his mom always made him do chores but he helped her sometimes during school.

 

“Oh yes, tell me about the newspaper.”

 

“It’s great, I mean we only meet once a week and since I’m a freshman they won’t give me anything interesting so you know…” She made a face and a little hand gesture before brightening up. “But I think it’s good colleges to know about how invested I am in investigative journalism so that’s good.”

 

“Lonnie…” Mulan’s voice turned stern and Lonnie regretted her choice of words. Mulan supported her daughter in every aspect of her life. When Lonnie wanted to join the school play, she was in the first seat recording Lonnie’s performance of tree #2. When Lonnie wanted to quit karate, she made sure her daughter got her black belt before making her quit for good. When Lonnie was in elementary school, Mulan was the room mom so her daughter would have the egg-free chocolate chip cookies she loved so much. Mulan loved her daughter and wanted her to succeed in every way she possibly could. But she knew Lonnie had a tendency to go too far.

 

In Lonnie’s last school, she was bullied a lot. Lonnie never gave details about what they did but Mulan knew Lonnie was happy when she developed her powers. Not because she could become a superhero but because she could finally transfer schools. Mulan and Shang always hated themselves for not stopping the bullying or recognizing the signs sooner. Because not only was their daughter being bullied, but Lonnie decided it was the right time to take matters into her own hands and get into investigating her classmates. She discovered all the dirty secrets on her classmates (Mulan didn’t know how but she did) and exposed all their dirty laundry. Mulan knew that what Lonnie’s classmates did wasn’t right and Mulan was proud of what her daughter standing up for herself but one of the boys Lonnie exposed was the son of Mulan’s boss. Mulan had to be transferred to another department and what on temporary suspension to ‘teach her daughter proper manners’. Mulan never blame her daughter for the transfer but it did put their relationship on edge.

 

“I promise what happened at Glenvalley will not happen here.” Lonnie held up her hand in a swear. But Mulan didn’t buy it.

 

“If I hear something like that happens again, you are living with your grandparents for the summer.”

 

Lonnie nodded. Her mother was the best mom she could ever ask for but her word was law.

 

AAAA

 

Jane sat in front of the mirror staring at her blue eyes. Her control teacher assigned her focus on changing her looks. He said, in her case, that even if she were to change the smallest part of her body, it would help whoever was assigned to be her hero one day. Jane hated it with a firey passion. All of her teachers were rather apathetic to the fact her mother was the powerful headmistress with frightening abilities and that she was a sidekick with useless powers. Jane had no idea _why_ they didn’t care. Her current predicament was embarrassing. Didn’t they understand that having powers that paled in comparison to her mother would leave emotional scars on her? That this could lead her on a path to villainy and self loathing. Or worse- get bad grades. Evidently not as they had her working hard to control her powers to suit the needs of whoever will be assigned her hero. Not that she had a lot to control, her powers only worked on other people and not on her. She didn’t even want to control her powers, she wanted them to get stronger. If she could channel it onto herself she’d have a lot less problems with her self esteem.

 

“Knock knock,” Jane’s mom said, poking her head from behind the door. “How are you feeling sweetie? Do you need anything? Some snacks perhaps?”

 

“I’m fine mom.” Jane said not bothering to look at her. “And you know I’m on a diet.”

 

“I was hoping you would give that up, honey. You don’t need to lose weight. You have a great personality. Any boy would be an idiot not to fall in love with you.” Jane resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Her ‘great personality’ wouldn’t get her free drinks at the mall or have guys falling at her feet or all the girls clamoring to be her friend. Inner beauty got you nowhere nowadays, real beauty is where it’s at.

 

“Thanks mom.” Jane turned to her mother.

 

“Are you practicing your powers? You know you don’t have to become a hero supporter when you’re older. There are tons of other careers for you to have.” Jane’s mom welcomed herself into her daughter’s room, taking a seat on her daughter’s bed. “Maybe you could be a teacher or a journalist. You still like school right? What am I talking about, you’re a teenager! Of course you don’t! Well don’t fret, there are tons of other jobs you would be great at, that don’t involve being hero support.”

 

Jane shook her head. “I want to be a hero mom. Not just a sidekick but one of the heroes.”

 

Jane’s mother gave her a small, sympathetic smile. “I know it can be stressful and hurtful but it was probably meant to be this way. You’ll be glad your powers aren’t that great in a few years. I mean you’ve seen the heroes and all the stress they get from their duties. You don’t want that now do you? It’s best that you’re part of hero support.”

 

Jane wanted to roll her eyes and scream. She wanted to tell her mother she wanted the fame and the love that all heroes get. That her powers would never support an ungrateful hero who got all the fame and glory while all she got was a pitiful fanclub and the hero’s scraps. That she wasn’t ‘hero support’, she was a ‘sidekick’.

 

But she couldn’t say that. She was Jane Fairchild, the good girl and daughter to Headmistress Fairchild. Jane Fairchild never talks back to adults, especially not to her lovely, wonderful mother. She remains grateful for everything she has and never complains about it, no matter how much she wants to. She is a good girl.

 

“Thanks mom,” She gave a small smile.

 

AAAA

 

Audrey sat straight up picking at her omelet. Both of her parents had yet to arrive but all of the present parties had already ordered their food.

 

“So, Estelle,” Audrey's grandfather started as he cut through his waffle, “How has school been for you so far?”

 

“Well,” She started adjusting her blazer to make herself look more presentable. “I’m on the staff with Audrey for the school paper and it’s a bit slow getting started so you know that’s boring. Um, my mom is starting to look at colleges for Eve and I. Not looking forward to that but you know. Um,” She rolled her eyes around the room, thinking about anything else she could talk about. She knew Audrey’s grandparents weren’t her biggest fans (not that they liked everyone Audrey hung out with, even sweet Ben had to work hard to earn their tolerance) so she knew she had to find something to impress them. Somehow they weren’t impressed by Estelle’s family. “My teachers are all pretty cool, you know, they like, love it when students participate and they have a real passion for teaching ya know?”

 

Audrey’s grandmother eyed the girl as she ate her pancake.

 

“Oh look, mom’s here!” Audrey said, thanking God for their timing. The entire table turned to entrance to see a beautiful couple enter.

 

Aurora Costa-Maxie and her daughter were near identical. Both were short, beautiful black woman with round, youthful faces. The only difference was that Aurora’s hair was in locs, which made her bird-like body seem smaller and her skin was darker than her daughter. Aurora’s full lips were colored with a pale pink color, and her narrow eyes had blue eyeshadow making her eyes seem rounder. Aurora was dressed pretty nice for a person who just got off a fourteen hour flight. She wore a short, blush colored trenchcoat and dark wash jeans.

 

Audrey’s father, Phillip Costa, was taller than his wife but certainly not the tallest person in the room. His Puerto Rican heritage was obvious with his olive skin and thick, curly dark hair. His sharp jawline was perfectly carved to outline his cheekbones. He wore a beige trench coat that had a dark blue brooch pinned on it and dark blue khaki pants. Granny Maxie was clearly pleased with her daughter’s husband.

 

It wasn’t a great secret that Granny Maxie wasn’t happy about how Aurora turned out. Aurora was snatched away at birth by Maleficent and then put in federal protection. She was then raised by a triad of lesbian heroes who sheltered Aurora. Aurora didn’t mind until her seventeenth birthday when she decided to walk the city by herself. Once again, she found herself in the hands of Maleficent. Philip rescued her eventually and Aurora took it as her chance to travel the world. Granny Maxie always felt slighted that her own daughter didn’t feel the need to get to know her own biological parents. Aurora already had three mothers who coddled her, she didn’t need another one. Their relationship got better when Aurora and Philip announced their wedding though. But due to cold feet, the couple decided to elope and escape their parents. This made the relationship between Aurora and her parents even rockier. But Philip and Aurora had to return when they found themselves expecting and too irresponsible to take care of their future baby. Their parents welcomed under the condition that the couple fix the families’ reputations. The couple got remarried to show how _flawless_ heroes could be and promptly left baby Audrey in the hands of her grandparents before going out to see the world at Aurora’s insistence. They visited Audrey a lot when she was younger but once she hit middle school visits became less and less frequent. They still did FaceTime and emailed and texted and all that, but it wasn’t the same as them being there for her. Audrey hadn’t quite forgiven them for it but she was trying.

 

“Aurora, darling,” Granny Maxie stood up to give her daughter a hug and kiss “How was your flight?”

 

Audrey jumped up and threw herself into her mom’s arms. “I missed you so much.” she said, her voice muffled in her mom’s jacket.

 

Aurora pulled back, though Audrey still held onto her. “I missed you too.” She kissed her forehead and Audrey took her seat.

 

“Waitress,” Audrey’s grandfather called. “Can we have two more menus please?”

 

The redheaded waitress gave the couple the menus before disappearing back to the kitchens.

 

“How was Spain?” asked Audrey. Estelle looked at her girlfriend with some sadness. As much as Audrey complained about her parents, she knew she was desperate for their approval.

 

“It was great. We’ll have to take you sometime.” She took the menu out of the waitress’s hands and scanned through the menu. “There was this park in Spain,” She tapped her chin thoughtfully. “What was its name again honey?”

 

Phillip didn’t take his eyes off the menu. “Park Güell, honey.”

 

“Oh yes, Park Guell!” She fell back into her seat, as if just thinking about it. “You would have loved it. It would look great on your instagram profile, all the columns and sun. It was so beautiful. I wish we could have stayed there longer.”

 

“Yes, why did you come back?” Grandma Maxie asked with thinly veiled irritation. Aurora picked up on this quickly as she straightened herself up and took a deep breath before looking at Phillip.

 

Philip put his menu down and rubbed his face. “I had a vision.” He said slowly.

 

All parties looked at him, silently urging him to go on.

   

“I saw the apocalypse.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully this was okay with you guys, I know you probably aren't that curious about the life of the AKs but I promise learning about them are connected to the VKs and important for the story. Ben and Audrey's last names are based off of the original actors or Dan Stevens. I will update soon as school is almost over for me. Please leave comments and kudos below! Mwah!


	15. One Scratched Up Coin and One Shiny Coin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone has a meeting and a meal. That description actually sounds a lot more pleasant than it actually is. This really isn't that pleasant, so get ready for some emotional whiplash.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: Cruella de Vil, police brutality, emotional abuse, physical abuse, a somewhat graphic description of someone being electrocuted/tased, PTSD-like symptoms, (for my muslim readers I think food is triggering for you guys, correct me if I'm wrong but there is food in this chapter), and mentions of prison. I hope I covered everything.

“Dad,” Audrey was the first to say anything, “What do you mean the apocalypse?”

 

He swallowed and took a deep breath. “I had a dream. We were at your school, or rather what was left of it. There was green light all over the place and it was so hot. I heard a woman laughing and then there was darkness...” There was an empty look in his eye. Audrey remembered that look from when she was a toddler. 

 

Audrey knew her father’s visions had the tendency to be very vivid. When she was little her father had a vision in the middle of the night and it took a while for him to calm down and realize his family was not dead. Audrey never found out what the vision was but she knew it was worse than usual. The tears running down his face and the bone crunching hug he gave her scared her. Aurora did her best to calm him down but it took a while for her to do that. Aurora got better in recent years in helping Phillip calm down but back then Audrey would hide from her father. Audrey didn’t like to remember how her father reacted to his visions. 

 

“I don’t know if it truly is the apocalypse but,” He took another breath and held back a choked sob. “We can’t take any risks. I haven’t had a vision like this in ages and we were almost too late last time.” He looked at his daughter. His beautiful daughter who still had a long life ahead of her. One that he wanted to see. He didn’t reach out for her even if he wanted to hold his daughter’s hand for, what he hopes, won’t be the last time. “I need to know that you’re safe Audrey.”

 

Audrey had never heard such words come out of her father’s mouth before. He always told her he loved her and wanted her to be safe. But there was a vast difference between saying it before bedtime over FaceTime and saying it and meaning it in person. Tears streamed out of her eyes. She wanted to hug her father and tell him it was going to be alright and that she wasn’t going to go anywhere. But, as her grandmother would say, it was neither the time nor the place. She would wait until they got home. 

 

Estelle looked at the family before her and the tension was palpable. Audrey was looking at her lap, fiddling with her thumbs. Aurora’s mouth was tightly closed, her hand over her husband’s. Phillip didn’t stare at his wife, picking at the tablecloth instead clenching his jaw and doing his best not to cry. Audrey’s grandparents were drinking their waters suppressing their feelings. Granny Maxie was glaring at Aurora (because of course this was  _ her  _ fault that she ruined brunch). The whole family refused to look at one another. Estelle felt that they didn’t want to see each other in case this was going to be the last time they were going to see each other and they didn’t want their last look at family to be them crying. This whole ordeal also made her feel like she was invading on a personal moment for the family. Estelle wondered if she could develop invisibility and run away from this mess. She concentrated on herself and thought, ‘ _ Invisible, invisible, invisible..’  _ She looked at herself and nope, she was still here. Visible. At this brunch. With a table full of people trying not to cry. 

 

“It’s why we came back home,” Aurora said after some silence (Grandpa Maxie scoffed at this.) “We wanted to stop by and see you guys before we visit the government.” She took a sip of her water. The waitress came back.

 

“I’ll have the eggs benedict and waffles please.” Philip said as he handed her the menus. 

 

“Red velvet pancakes with blueberries please.” Aurora told her with a smile.

 

The waitress did not notice the tears but if she did she made the wise choice of not mentioning it. 

 

 

VKVKVK

 

 

Mal’s foot was tapping on the floor and her arms were crossed when the boys came back. Her face was twisted into one of annoyance. She saw that color had returned to Carlos’s face so Mal supposed that was a good thing.  _ It’s best he get over this now as opposed to when the time comes.  _ She thought to herself. He took a seat next to Evie who whispered if he was okay to him. He nodded and grabbed a handful of chips. 

 

“Right so as I was saying,” Despite all her efforts to appear calm and collected, Mal didn’t know how to continue on with the meeting after Carlos’s panic attack. But she had to. For her mother. “Carlos will be dealing with all the security detail. When we go to the museum, see if you can find the handbook or whatever for the codes and stuff. If the alarms were to go off I need you to know what to tell the cops.” Carlos nodded. His fears had calmed down but was still there. As long as he did everything correctly, nothing would go wrong. 

 

“As for Jay, you will be in charge of the theft. I’m sure everything will be heavily guarded so you need to devise a way not to get caught.”

 

“I know how to not get caught.” Jay scoffed, almost offended. 

 

Mal gave him a tired look. “You know how to  _ not _ get caught in low surveillance and poorly guarded places. You don’t know how to get caught in places like the museum.”

 

“I’ve been through that museum and stolen more artifacts than you ever will.”

 

“Yeah and all you’ve stolen were pieces of jewelry. These are our parents’ suits we’re talking about. My mother’s wand.” She put both hands on the table so he would look her in the eye. “Fairchild’s wand.”

 

“You never mentioned we were gonna steal that too.” Jay’s eyes met hers’. He’s been through that museum a few times and while their parents’ stuff was heavily guarded, it was nothing compared to Fairchild’s wand. Invisible force fields, power immunity for within a five foot radius, and in case anyone were to try to do anything, even on accident, the wallpaper would come to life and kill that person. Jay never attempted to steal it himself, even if holding that wand for ransom would sell for a pretty penny, but he’s seen news reports of older, stronger villains who have tried. 

 

“It was implied.” Mal said. Her eyes narrowed as she stared him down. “It’s why we cannot fuck up. You have to find a way to steal it. Got it?” She looked at her other two comrades. “We are going to go over this plan again and again until it is the only thing on our minds. When we go on that field trip, we are going to set it into motion. Got it?” She barked. Everyone nodded their heads.

 

“Now,” She stood up straight and held her hands together with a sly smile. “Let’s finish going over the plan…”

 

 

VKVKVKVK

 

“Aurora, Phillip nice to see you two again,” Belle greeted the couple. Neither couple had time to change between brunch and meeting with Belle but Belle was dressed in her civilian outfit for her regular job as a secretary to the head of the department of education. She wore a yellow shift dress, brown kitten heels and, white cardigan. She shook their hands and led them down the hall. ‘’Adam just went to check up on something, he’ll be back in a moment. Can I offer you something to drink?” 

 

“Water would be nice, thank you.” Aurora said with a smile. Belle returned the smile to the younger woman but it didn’t look real.

 

“None for me please. I would prefer to get straight to business.” Phillip told her.

 

“Of course.” She noticed something odd about his choice of words. “Did you want to see General Li?”

 

“Didn’t anyone tell you why we came?” Asked Aurora as Belle pushed down the head of a mayor’s bust. The wall next to it slid open to reveal an elevator.

 

“All I was told was that this was a matter of national security. I assumed on your travels this was something you found.” Belle answered honestly as they entered the elevator but not before looking both ways down the empty hallway.

 

“Belle, I had a vision.” Philip told her. “Didn’t Adam tell you?”

 

Belle looked at him with wide eyes she opened her mouth to respond but the elevator doors opened first. Her husband stood there with a welcoming smile. “Welcome Philip, Aurora.” Adam came in for a handshake. The couple accepted it as Belle gave her husband a death stare. “Well, we can’t dawdle around,” He lead them to a long, rectangular table. “Let’s start the meeting.”

 

Each person took a seat and wore the glasses that had been provided for them at the table. They pressed the button on the side and holograms of other Supers became visible. 

 

“We,” Adam said in a loud voice. “Are here to discuss Mr. Costa’s vision.” He gestured at Philip to speak up.

 

“I’m at my daughter’s school or what’s left of it anyway. There was destruction everywhere and green flames. I saw dead children and a dark purple sky. Orange lightning, torn up pieces of earth… I know it sounds like every other month for us but… I had a feeling this is way different than what we have ever experienced before. And I know something like this has happened before but we cannot take any chances. Last time we were almost too late.” Philip told them. His voice did not shake but he maintained a firm grip on Aurora’s hand under the table.

 

“The description is pretty vague,” General Li said, his face not betraying a single emotion. “Could you tell who could have done it? Or what kind of powers that person had?”

 

Philip shook his head. “It’s hard to say. I know I can’t say for sure but I know Maleficent was involved. Green flames is her trademark.” He licked his lips. “But everything else was unfamiliar. Too much was happening for this to be a one person job.”

 

“Maleficent is a very powerful woman. Smart too. She could have made a friend on the outside and found a way to use her powers.” Belle said.

 

“No, there were things there her powers couldn’t do. I saw stone people with their heads off… snakes… Vines!” Philip told them, almost hysterically. Aurora ran her thumb over his hand to calm him a bit. He calmed his breathing a bit. “It couldn’t have been just her.”

 

“I’m at a loss at what we could do.” Said Senator Anna in her light European accent. She did not possess any powers but she was the best out of most of them who could negotiate peace treaties as well as her sister being prime minister of Norway. She was a valuable asset to American government. “We thought putting them in neighborhoods would be such a good idea but if we know they will turn on us, we can’t have them stay there.”

 

Adam looked at Headmistress Fairchild, who gave him the same look in return. Even though neither of them said a word, when Belle looked at them she was sure of what their next suggestion would be. She was there the first time he made that suggestion as well. 

 

“Fairchild and I would like to pitch our idea by you guys again.” Adam licked his lips and looked at his wife. She gave him a small nod to continue. “We put them in maximum security. Hear me out. The prison on the isle has finished reconstruction. I know that we have all opposed the thought of sealing villains in maximum security but treating them like humans clearly hasn’t worked either. This may be the only solution to subdue them for good.”

 

Belle looked to the table, all members looking like they were in deep thought. She’d hate to admit it but her husband had a point and as poorly argued his claim was, it might work. She worked alongside him on the reconstruction, she helped outline his plans for the meeting the first time he pitched it so she knew there was a high chance of them succeeding. Fairchild may have financed the project and put spells up at the prison but Belle knew how this would work.

 

After a long moment of contemplation, Belle spoke up. “All in favor of of Stevens and Fairchild’s plan?”

 

VKVKVKVKVKVKVK

 

When the meeting was done it was nearly dinner. Mal sent everyone back to their own homes because there was no way she could provide for all of them. The government never gave them enough food, a problem Mal intended to rectify when she ruled the world. But for now she would just have to eat the TV dinner the goblins prepared for her with her mother. 

 

_ “But when we rule the world we’ll cackle about our evil plans for the world as we enjoy one of those rich people dinners I’ve seen in magazines. And they’ll be prepared by a good chef, not some goblin who can only make microwavable dinners.”  _ Mal thought boredly as she pushed her microwaved peas. 

 

Mal raised her head when she heard a firm knock from the door. Maleficent didn’t bother lifting her head from her plate, instead gesturing for one of the goblins to get it. Mal too ignored it, thinking it was probably Evie who left her lipstick here or something. She stopped ignoring it, however, when she heard a loud thump and watched as a squad of men in masks and armor came into the dining room.

 

“Maleficent Chenoweth, please come with us.” The man in the middle demanded. Mal and her mother stood up, Maleficent in a pose that said she was ready to fight and Mal backing into away though shooting a glare at the men. She knew she couldn’t fight so many of them, but she also knew her mother would kill her before the soldiers would if she saw her own daughter wasn’t putting up a fight.

 

“Over my dead body.” Maleficent said without raising her voice. The tone sent shivers up Mal’s spine. 

 

The men surrounded both women, their guns in position, the red lasers pointing at their bodies. 

 

“Last chance to do this the easy way, Chenoweth.” The same man said. Mal knew that tone of voice meant the men would shoot so she backed away into the corner some more. 

 

“My name is Maleficent!” She screamed and threw everything she could get her hands on at them. A man took his screen out and electrocuted the villain but the pain only made her laugh more manically. She threw her hands out in front of her like she was going to shoot them but she only ended up looking pathetic. Once the electricity stopped, she continued to throw things at them. The roasted chicken, plates, utensils, the stale bread rolls. 

 

Mal wishes her mother had the decency and self respect not to make a scene as she threw the plates and knives at the men and screamed hysterically. She wishes the men didn’t point the guns at her mother. She wishes her mother had her powers so she would be able to fight back properly and take her and herself somewhere they couldn’t find them. But this was the real world and her mother didn’t have her powers or any self control over her emotions. 

 

One soldier was able to make it pass Maleficent's flying utensils and push her onto the ground. He flipped her over and pushed her face into the ground. Maleficent tried to wiggle out of the man’s grip but the soldier was too strong her her. He pulled her up by the handcuffs and dragged her outside. Her mother, the strong and emotional woman that she is refused to stop squirming and fighting the men. 

 

Once her mother left, a man came towards Mal and she began to fight back. Her hands were glowing green and she raised her hands to get ready to strike but she was too slow. The man grabbed her hands and cuffed her. The handcuffs were thick and kept her hands apart from each other at a reasonable distance. It also made her hands go numb. Her powers ceased and out of panic she began to hit and kick him. Screaming she kicked the man, making him fall to his knees and she kicked him in the face. The other men took notice of her tantrum and lifted her by her shoulders. Her legs kept kicking around, trying to land a hit on the men to no avail. One man grabbed her by the handcuffs and pressed a button that made a pole come out of the bottom and a plasma rope wrapped around her legs. This left Mal able to do nothing but wiggle around and scream. She kept screaming. She screamed as they took her out of her own house. She screamed as they threw her into the back of a van. She screamed in the van. She screamed as tears ran down her face. She screamed when her vocal cords were raw and strained. She screamed for her mother, for Evie, for the goblins, for Jay, for Carlos, for help. She continued to scream and scream and scream. 

 

VKVKVKVKVKVK

 

 

Carlos stood in the corner. Cruella was eating the dinner Jasper prepared for her so she kept Carlos in the corner to refill her cup. She held her wine glass out and Carlos was quick to fill it with the cheap liquor someone dropped off for her. Carlos didn’t question it. It was probably Gaston. For some reason he liked Cruella. Carlos shuddered to think that Gaston could be his father but Cruella’s disgust of the man confirmed that it was not him.

 

There was a knock on the door. It was hard and demanding and Carlos hoped it wasn’t another drunk person thinking it was their house and beating Carlos up because they thought he was an intruder. His bruises from last time had only started to fade and Cruella made it her goal to get drunk so she would be adding new bruises to his collection. 

 

“Get the door.” Cruella said, her mouth full of macaroni and cheese. Carlos obeyed her and went to the door. He unlocked it and was greeted by a squad of men in black masks. The one in front, the leader, spoke first.

 

“Where is Cruella de Vil?” His voice was rough and a bit mumbled, though Carlos couldn’t tell if it was from the mask or just his natural way of speaking. Carlos knew better than to speak out of term in front of an officer so he pointed to the kitchen. They followed in the direction that Carlos pointed in.

 

Cruella raised her head a bit to look at her visitors. When she did get a good look at them, she threw the table over and hid behind it.

 

“Go away!” She screamed at them. About four men listened and bolted but a man turned his screen on that was attached to his forearm and pressed Cruella’s face. 

 

Carlos felt pain like never before as fell to the ground. It was like his body was being burned by millions of tiny flames all over his body. His eyes were closed but all he could see was electric blue lights that ran through his veins. His teeth clenched so hard, he was afraid they would break from the pressure. He wasn’t sure if he was screaming or not but his vocal cords felt raw but he could not stop it. His head hurt the worse though. His skull felt like it was holding back a bomb but it was so weak, the bomb would break through. Carlos was so afraid his brains would splatter everywhere. He hadn’t lived long enough. He had so many plans for the future. But he couldn’t think of them right that second. Everything hurt. It hurt so bad. 

 

The man who pressed the button looked at the screaming child who was seizing on the floor. He immediately took his finger off the button and focused his attention on the woman in front of him. Cruella had taken the opportunity to run away while the men were distracted by her son’s pain. She ran down the hall to her back door. She was about to leave but not before yelling, “Carlos! Attack the men!”

 

Although every part of him hurt, Carlos ran to the men and pounced on one of them. The man easily threw the boy off of him. Even if he was at his fullest strength he never would have been able to take any of them. He was a small kid and they were fully trained adults. But he could never refuse his mother no matter how hard he tried. Which is why he was so glad that when he hit the ground, everything went black.

 

VKVKVKVKVKVKVK

 

Evie collapsed on her coach. She was tired from waking up early and not getting any naps. The plate she prepared earlier was picked clean of any crumbs she could eat. She settled for watching the TV as a distraction. Much to Evie’s displeasure the first thing she saw was her older half-sister who went by the name, Snow White. Evie hated that name. She wasn’t a super so there was no excuse for giving herself an alias (especially one that made her sound like a cokehead stripper.) The commercial for her news channel was playing and she was walking across the screen with that dumb smile of hers’.

 

Grimhilde walked into the room, still in her pyjamas. She took a double take at her daughter.

 

“Evie why aren’t you wearing any makeup?” She quickly sat down on the couch and opened the extra makeup kit she kept in the living room for emergencies. She grabbed her daughter’s face despite her protests and went to work. “Makeup masks your imperfections, sweetie, and trust me you have many.” She applied blush onto her daughter’s face. “Let me put some lipstick on. Honestly, the natural look is only for pretty girls and you know pretty girls are a dime a dozen. Even though you are related to me, you have some time before you are as beautiful as me.” After she was done putting on the pale pink lipstick she let her daughter go. She held up her mirror. “There, much better. Now if some rich boy wanders into this neighborhood, you can charm your way into his pants.” Evie smiled at her mother. 

 

“Thank you mom.” She put the mirror down and touched her hair. “Can you fix my hair?”

 

Grimhilde smiled and braided her her until there was a knock. The two of them pretended to ignore it. The news magazine’s host’s voice was loud enough that they could do that. But the knocking persisted and got louder to the point they couldn’t ignore it anymore. Grimhilde finally stopped braiding her daughter’s hair and made her way to the door.

 

“Alright, I’m coming,” She opened the door to greet masked men in soldier’s uniforms. Evie watched them from her spot on the couch. She hid behind part of it so they didn’t notice her right away. 

 

“Grimhilde Najimy, you are to come with us.” The leader spoke and two men came around to arrest her.

 

“Honestly, there is no need for such roughness. I am a lady, I deserve to be treated as such.” Grimhilde protested as the men cuffed her. “Hey, it’s too tight. It hurts.”

 

But the men ignored her protests and carried her outside. Evie lowered the volume of the TV and when she did she was finally able to hear the outside.

 

After her mom left, Evie ran out, her hair coming undone as she did, into her doorway. Outside was chaos. Evie watched as vans were filled with parents and some kids. Soldiers in black uniforms were everywhere, holding guns and wearing masks. Her neighbors, people she grew up with, were screaming and crying and running away and fighting out of fear. Little Dizzy, the girl she babysat on occasion was on her was on her lawn crying with snot coming out of her nose. Evie closed the door and leaned against it. She tried take calm, deep breaths. She made her way to the kitchen countertop and caught her breath.

 

When she finally did, Evie screamed and threw the plate at the TV. It missed and hit the wall. Her hands squeezed into fists by her side. She squeezed so hard, she felt liquid coming out of her palm. She didn’t know if it was her blood or poison until the floor beneath her began to erode. Not that she cared. She was hurt and angry. Who had the nerve to come into her house and take her mother? Who had the nerve to come into her neighborhood and take parents and children away from their families and homes?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, sorry for the mood whiplash. Please leave comments below whether they are words of praise, critics, or suggestions I'll be sure to read them and incorporate them into this fic at some point. No matter how long or short, I appreciate them all. I'll be sure to update soon now that I have a good vision board of where I want this to go and summer is in session. Thank you for reading!


	16. The Warehouse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls wonder what has become of their mothers, the boys contemplate their actions, and all four of them remember what lessons their parents left them with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoy this. It's a little heavy but I hope you guys keep reading.
> 
> Trigger Warning for vomit, child abuse, eating disorders, police brutality, murder, fire, attempted murder.

Mal looked like a wreck but she was no different than the rest of the kids who were shoved into the warehouse. She sat against a wall by herself, glaring at everyone that came near her. Not that many did. Her hair was a mess, her neck and wrists still felt raw from being cuffed, and her eyes were red. She had yet to regain her voice from all the screaming she did but everyone who knew Mal knew her bite was worse than her bark.

 

Mal stared at her surroundings (though she would prefer to use the word ‘observe’). Her mother told her that she should always be aware of her surroundings. If in the event of a kidnapping or a brunch party it would be good to know all the people, locations, exits, and Mal’s health. Before the guards took her out of the van, they blindfolded her so she wouldn’t know where she was. When they took it off she found herself in some sort of warehouse. It was well-taken care of, no mold or major roof damage as far as Mal could see. There was dust on the ground, so Mal knew this place wasn’t used that often. The air also smelled different. Mal couldn’t explain _why_ exactly, but the smell of trash and salty breeze was different than the one she was used to. And if she were to judge the time she was in the back of the van, she would have to say she was back there for about thirty minutes. She racked her brain for areas within a thirty minute drive from her house. (She will thank her mother later for making her memorize a map of the city.) She came up blank and decided she would have to try again later. She looked around the warehouse again for some clues.

 

Mal also realized wasn’t a single adult that she knew in this place. The only adults were soldiers, still dressed in their armor. There were about twenty of them and Mal knew that if they weren’t armed they would be in serious danger. Every child from Mal’s neighborhood was here from little Dizzy to eighteen-going-on-nineteen Xiomara. That was about a hundred and thirty children in total. About half of whom had powers. Everyone was in a group with their families, or closest allies, huddling together to either crying or pick a fight with one of the soldiers. Gaston’s sons and daughter were yelling at the unresponsive soldiers. Gil, the only son fortunate enough not to be named after their father, was trying to push past the soldiers and go home. The soldiers kept blocking him, which only made him more angry. Mal knew Gil rarely got angry and although she couldn’t quite make out what he was saying, she knew it was in the soldier’s best interest to let him go. Though, Gil fighting the soldier would provide some much needed distraction for the evening. The Millers were all together, along with a few of their best dealers, not-so-subtly making sure all their drugs were still in on them. Ursula’s kids were sitting in the corner. Marina was munching on some sea salt chips. Mal hoped that girl brought some more food because judging the soldier’s armor and the shift rotation between the members, they were going to be here a while. Uma was sitting on Harry Hook’s lap as he whispered into her ear. Mal wasn’t sure what the nature of their relationship was but she did know it made Harry weak. She would exploit that weakness later. For now, she just needed to find out what happened to her mother. As much as she would hate to admit it, she needs her mother. Mal had always been dependant on her mom since she was six.

 

_Mal was six when she chose her destiny._

 

_It was the day some kid didn’t send her an invitation to her birthday. Mal was not her friend nor did she even know her name but it did not change the fact that she was excluded from something. Everyone in her class was invited (even shrimpy little Uma!) except for her! It filled Mal with a feeling she hated and wanted gone from her life. Naturally, when little Mal came home crying her little eyes out, Maleficent was furious._

 

 _“Who are they to think they can exclude_ my _daughter from their_ birthday party _?” Maleficent yelled as she hugged her daughter for the first time since she was a baby. It was at this moment Mal stopped crying to look at her mother with clear eyes. “Don’t they know who she is? Whose daughter she is? I know they know who_ I _am! And yet, they have the nerve to exclude her from a birthday party!” Mal didn’t understand the full meaning and weight of those words just yet but she was about to._

 

_Maleficent pushed Mal off of her lap and ran to the kitchen. Mal followed, finding her mother throwing an array of supplies on the table. Mal walked to the table and read the first object._

 

_G-A-S-O-L-I-N-E_

 

_Mal looked at her mother curiously but she paid her daughter no mind._

 

_“Are we going on a trip?” Mal asked._

 

 _Maleficent grabbed all the materials that she could hold. Mal could have laughed at the sight- all the plastic containers nearly swallowed her mother. But her mother shoved a jug into_ her _arms and Mal couldn’t laugh at her anymore._

 

_“Yes we are Mal.”_

_The two of them walked to the little girl’s house. It was a nice walk to her house. The air was crisp, especially for a garbage day, and there was a nice breeze that made Mal’s hair tickle her skin. Mal got to spend some quality time with her mother, even if they were carrying gasoline that smelled almost as bad as the school bathroom. But Mal wasn’t going to complain, her mother was usually gone or ignored Mal so this was a nice change. But all good things had to come to an end when they arrived in front of the little girl’s house. All the anger came rushing back to Mal and she had the strong urge to destroy something. Maleficent dropped all of the containers onto the ground and took the one from Mal. She uncapped it and gave it back to her._

 

_‘“I want you to throw this as far into their yard as possible.” Maleficent said. Mal nodded and threw it at the bush. The strong smelling liquid splattered all over the decaying leaves and left a trail from where the small family stood. Mal looked to her mother for her next orders but her mother was busy throwing all of the containers at the house. The little girl who did not invite Mal to her birthday party looked out the window and gasped. Mal smiled at the girl’s horrified look. She felt bad about it of course, you couldn’t live in this neighborhood and not feel fear and Mal had felt it many times. Besides, she had bullied this girl plenty since she found out she wasn’t invited so this was nothing new. But this girl’s fear was caused by a combination of Mal and her mother. Whatever she and her mother were doing it was amazing. Young Mal had made people fear her in the past, but nothing like this. She had felt bad in the past but her mom was at her side, encouraging her do this. This kind of fear she could grow to like._

 

_The little girl ran away from the window and had begun to yell for her parents. Maleficent made a ‘tsk’ sound and to Mal’s amazement, a small green flame appeared on her mother’s fingertip. Mal was not naive, she watched the TV when it worked and heard rumours about people that didn’t live in her neighborhood. She knew people had superpowers. She just never knew she was related to one. To be related to a super was a great honor. Mal wondered when her gifts would come._

 

_“Could I do that?” She whispered to herself._

 

_Maleficent flicked the small green flame onto the liquid trail. It grew larger, forming a flaming trail to the house. First the steps were engulfed in flames. Then, it was the bushes in the front yard that turned into ash. Soon, the entire house was engulfed in green flames. Mal watched the spectacle in front of her. She wasn’t sure if it was beautiful or horrifying. Her mother’s face had lit up with glee but it wasn’t a happy sort of glee. Young Mal wasn’t able to pick the right word at that age but as she grew up she was able to properly define what word best fit her mother’s reaction- sadism. Pure, unadulterated sadistic glee._

 

_“What do you think Mal?” Maleficent asked as the fire roared on._

 

_Mal thought of an answer that would please her mother. “It’s beautiful,” She said, hoping her fascination overpowered her fear._

 

 _Maleficent turned and kneeled down in front of Mal so her face was parallel to her daughter. “I can teach you to be evil, to be mean, to be wicked. I can teach you how to make people fear you, to follow you, and to give you their power. I can teach you how to get rid of all the love in your heart and replace it with greed. Greed for power. I can teach you all of these things my dear,” She cupped her daughter’s chin and gave her a smile. “I will give you all the power in the world and have everyone be on their knees for_ you _my dear.” She let her hand fall from Mal’s face. “Will you follow in my footsteps my dear?”_

 

_Mal looked to the burning house and the screams of the family that was trapped inside filled her ears. Then she looked to her mother and, for the first time in little Mal’s short life, she saw pride. She saw happiness in her mother’s eyes. Joy. Hopefulness. It filled Mal’s heart with a feeling she had never had before. She wanted to keep that feeling for as long as possible._

 

_“Yes mother.”_

 

_And with that Mal sealed her fate._

 

Mal smiled nostalgically at the memory. She had to get out of this place. She needed to find out what happened to her mother. If she was dead, then she had to back to her house and raid the place of her mother’s spell books and diary. She would cry for her mother after she took over the world. It’s what Maleficent would have wanted. If her mother was alive, she would play nice until whoever took her allowed her to see her mother. Her mother was a strong woman and would know what to do after that.

 

*

 

Evie walked out from the back of the van calmly. Even though she complied with everything the soldiers wanted the second they came back to pick her up, they threatened to take away her powers if she tried anything. Which Evie supposed was smart of them. She _was_ planning on taking their poisoning them the second she found out where her mother was. Like her mother said, ‘Look like the flower, but be the serpent underneath.’

 

_“Open wide,” Grimhilde told her five year old daughter. The two of them were in the backyard, tending to their garden. The soil was terrible and most of the plants were small and sickly. But Evie liked being in it. She enjoyed the outdoors and the flowers and vegetables that grew there. Her mother liked it because it was the closest thing they had to clean and healthy food in their neighborhood._

 

_Not that it stayed that way for long._

 

 _In addition to being a_ _former_ _beauty queen, she was also a master poisoner. Before Grimhilde was taken to the neighborhood and given the ankle bracelet that devoided her of powers, she coated seeds in poison. It was given alterations and now the plants had a little bit of poison in their DNA. Grimhilde was immune to it but her neighbors were not. Neither was Evie for that matter. But it didn’t stop her from feeding those plants to her daughter anyway._

 

_“Mommy no!” Evie said stubbornly and crossed her arms. She knew she should be a good girl and listen to her mother but she hated eating carrots. They were gross and shriveled up and made her vomit for a really long time last time she ate. She would rather eat the gross microwavable food the ‘big men’ gave her instead. At least those had flavors other than death._

 

_“Evie yes,” Grimhilde said trying to force the carrot into her daughter’s mouth. “Evie, Evie stop this rebelliousness at once. Act like a good girl.”_

 

_“But I don’t wanna-” She started before her mother forced the carrot into her mouth then held her hand over Evie’s mouth so she wouldn’t spit it out. Unfortunately Grimhilde’s hand didn’t stop her daughter from throwing up all over it._

 

_“Ugh,” Grimhilde grimaced as she wiped the vomit off with a napkin. Evie was on her knees vomiting her stomach out._

 

_“Evie, Evie, Evie,” She rubbed her daughter’s back. Grimhilde wasn’t happy her daughter was still in the vomitting stage but at least she had passed the rashes and the scabbing stage. It made her look so ugly. “It’s okay, it’s okay.”_

 

_When little Evie looked up she had tears in her eyes. “Why do we keep doing this mommy?” She asked for the first time. Evie had wondered why they did this from the very beginning but kept her mouth shut like a good girl. But this carrot actually tasted like death. If her mother was going to kill her, she would like to die knowing something._

 

_“Oh Evie my darling.” Her mother stroked her hair back and wiped the vomit off her face. “I do this to you because I care. You are going to develop into a beautiful young lady one day. A young lady with powers.” She bopped her daughter’s nose. “And those powers may be mine,” She touched the grass beneath them and it turned yellow and then brown until it was completely devoid of water. “Or you could have your father’s powers. Either one is a gift.”_

 

_Evie nodded in understanding. She was going to get superpowers and when she did she would be good. She would make her mother proud._

 

_“But both gifts are useless when you’re searching for a husband. He won’t see your gifts or your intelligence first. He won’t see how quickly you can run or how much you can lift or your powers. He will see your beauty first and other women will be jealous of you. They are going to have the same idea as you when you first meet a man. And they will go through unimaginable lengths to get rid of any competition. You need to have strength to endure whatever those petty bitches will throw at you. Either one of your gifts will be useless if one of your competition tries to poison you. Your father’s power works too slow and I needed to build my immunity. Plus you’re getting chubby. The poison and the vomiting will make you lose weight.” Grimhilde leaned into her daughter’s face and tried not to inhale her daughter’s awful aroma._

 

_“Do you want a better garden?” She asked her daughter. Evie nodded._

 

_“A big, beautiful house?”_

 

_“With lots and lots of mirrors for you mommy!” Evie said. Grimhilde smiled at that._

 

_“Do you want to move out of this neighborhood?” She asked._

 

_“Evie, do you want a better life?” Grimhilde asked seriously. Evie nodded. “Then you should be prepared to work hard. I am doing all I can to make you into what you need to be in order for that to happen but you need to work too. You need to look in the mirror every day so you’re not a mess. You need to find out who would be the best husband and suck it up if they have nothing going for them in the looks or age or intelligence department. You need to mold yourself into the trophy wife they have been looking for. Do you understand?”_

 

_“Yes mommy.”_

 

_“Good. You need to look beautiful at all times because the more beautiful you are, the less you will be suspected of taking their fortune and the more you can live a better life. ‘Look like the flower, but be the serpent underneath,’ my darling Evie.”_

 

The light shone brightly into Evie’s eyes when the soldiers took the blindfold off. She didn’t even have time to recover when they pushed her into a crowded room. Everyone she had ever seen was here (except for any adult from her neighborhood). She walked around the room willing herself not to be seen because she didn’t have mirror on her. She could look terrible for all she knew (of course there is a higher chance she looks good but she’s not taking the chance) so she can’t be seen.

 

The soldiers ushered all the children out of the common area and into a different wing of the warehouse. They walked to an underground wing and put into rooms with their siblings. (Though he knew some people would be switching rooms so they could fuck away their feelings.) As far as anyone could tell they were just normal rooms with cots instead of beds. It was honestly no different for Jay compared to his thin, spongy mattress. A soldier pushed him into the room and Jay tried not to think of how they treated him only a few hours before.

 

Evie didn’t see anyone she was close to other than Dizzy but 'close' is a word she wouldn’t use for a girl she babysits and Dizzy was sitting on her cousin’s lap. Diego, Carlos’s cousin, was eating an apple and spitting the seeds out at the soldiers. Ew, she was not going to sit with him. Marina was with her family plus Harry who for whatever reason decided not to sit with his family. But she saw CJ  drunkenly singing off tune and Harriet using this opportunity to sharpen her blade feet (not that Evie felt that she needed to, the family control their metal body parts. But it could also be Harriet being extra.) Evie finally spotted her bestie in the corner and practically skipped towards her and plopped herself down (with grace, of course.)

 

“Hey Mal,” Evie greeted her in the preppiest voice she could muster. She wouldn’t show her feelings, not when she knew Mal wouldn’t need negativity right now. “How are you holding up?”

 

Mal glared at the girl before turning to face her with the most fake smile ever. “I’m great. Just fine and dandy. Our parents are gone and here we are- doing a community sleepover.”

 

“I know it’s hard but you have to stay positive right? I mean are parents are grown ups, they can handle themselves.” Evie knew their moms could handle themselves. But her and Mal? Not likely.

 

( _Especially with the heist they’ve been planning but she can’t think about that in case of any telepaths._ )

 

“Mal,” Evie whispered. “You can’t panic alright? People are looking up to you as their leader and if you break down now, everything will turn to chaos. I need you to stay sane.” And in an even lower voice she said, “We need our leader to wield the wand and free us all. You’re the only one who can do that.”

 

Mal looked at her like Evie had never seen her look at her before. Mal’s eyes were big and the pupils were dilated. Her cheeks were pink and her mouth was slightly agape. She looked like she wanted to hug Evie tightly and never let go. But there is a time and a place for that so Evie opted for the second best option- putting her hand over Mal’s.

 

“We’ll get through this and you’ll rule us all.” Evie told her.

 

*

 

Carlos opened his eyes. Everything was blurry but after blinking his eyes a few times, it all became clear. His head hurt as it often did after Cruella’s orders and he found himself staring at an unfamiliar ceiling. He was not in Cruella’s closet nor Evie’s bedroom nor the school. He willed himself not to panic in case someone was watching him. He sat up and examined the room. It was an empty, all white room that had only one door. In front of him was a one way mirror. He looked at his reflection.

 

He had a bruise on his temple, large and ugly. His left eye was also black, almost swollen shut. His skin was paler than normal, but nothing he wasn’t used to. His lips were chapped and when he licked them he tasted blood. This was all stuff he was used to so if it was done by Cruella’s hand or by the soldiers who invaded his house it would be hard to tell. However, Carlos was most horrified in what he was wearing however. It was a medical gown he had only seen on television. It was a plain white color with small gray dots all over it. Carlos hated polka dots and the first thing he wanted when he left this place was to be given a proper outfit, preferably one without polka dots. Cruella loved polka dots.

 

_When Carlos was a young boy, about the age of six or seven, Cruella still had most of her wits to her. His mother was often bored so she used her time as a prisoner to sew her son’s clothes. She may have robbed him of a future he deserved and was imprisoned to live her life in a dirty, destitute neighborhood but allowing her own flesh and blood to be caught in unfashionable clothes was absolutely criminal. She was thankful her son was small because if he were any bigger, he would need more cloth to cover him. His mother sat in her rocking chair humming a song from her prom and wearing the bunny rabbit slippers Jasper made her for Easter. She loved this. This was the closest feeling to calm she had now that she lived in this neighborhood._

 

_She held the shirt up and smiled. It was a white shirt with black polka dots. She frowned and looked at her son. He was lying on the floor below her, doing his social studies homework. He looked up at her curiously with his big brown eyes and freckled cheeks. Freckles. Dots. She looked at her rabbit slippers and any sort of calm that she previously had disappeared. She grabbed her left rabbit slipper and slammed it onto her son. She left the room in haste to go to the kitchen._

 

_Carlos hoped his mother was not in another one of her moods again. It had been getting worse and worse as of late and he wasn’t sure of how to stop them. Even though Jasper and Horace were always around, the two didn’t live with Cruella so it was up to Carlos to ride the storm that was Cruella deVil out. And Carlos was still young, he didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t tell a teacher because they didn’t have time for him. And he couldn’t ask any of his friends because he didn’t have any. It was just up to Carlos._

 

_He walked into the kitchen to find his mother at the sink. The water was running, though Carlos couldn’t see what she was doing due to his height._

 

_“Mommy?” Carlos asked in a soft voice. His mother turned to him, her face calm and her eyes blank. She picked up the bucket that she was filling up and took it out of the sink. She put it on the ground in front of her and looked at her son._

 

_“Carlos,” He recognized that tone of voice. It was calm and domineering. Sometimes it was angry, sometimes it was sad but it was always domineering. Carlos wasn’t sure, but he always knew when she wanted him to obey her. His insides froze up and he waited for what she had to say next. “Come here.”_

 

_He followed her instructions. “Put your head in this bucket.” So he did. He held his head under water even though it hurt. Even though he couldn’t breath. Even though black dots filled his vision. Even though his head felt light._

 

_While her son was drowning, Cruella leaning against the countertop humming to herself and sharpening her knife. It was a short knife with a very thin blade, perfect for skinning. Her son was still still but Cruella didn’t know if it was because he was unconscious or because he was still under her influence. Not that it mattered to Cruella._

 

 _She pulled her son back and laid him on the floor. She knelt down next to him and dried his cheek with a towel._ Dots, dots, _a voice rang in her head._ Almost there _, she thought to herself as she put the towel down to replace it with the knife._

 

_Suddenly, Carlos began to cough. Water sputtered out of his mouth as he woke up, emptying his lungs of the liquid. When he stopped coughing, he saw his mother with the knife in his hand. He froze, not knowing if it was safe for him to move or not. He knew what she wanted. He wanted to touch his cheek to make sure he wasn’t bleeding but he remained frozen. If she finally took his freckles from him then he would finally be rid of those damned spots._

 

_His mother- Cruella- started blinking furiously and dropped the knife. Her calm face was replaced by an expression that looked like she just woke up in a foreign country, rather than in her own kitchen._

 

_“Um…” She stared at Carlos like she was unsure of how to deal with him. Or unsure of who he was. “Clean this up.” The tone in her voice changed and Carlos knew he had free will once again. But he still started to clean up the water all over the floor. “Yeah, okay.... Um, good.” Cruella left the room._

 

_At that moment, Carlos wasn’t sure which he hated more- his mother or his freckles._

 

A dark skinned, bald man in a lab coat and a tall, masked soldier came into the room. Carlos knew it was too late to pretend to still be asleep so he planned to stay quiet until he would decide when to answer them.

 

“Your name is Carlos de Vil right?” The doctor asked. Carlos nodded and the doctor wrote down something on his note pad.

 

“How old are you?” The doctor asked not looking up from his notes.

 

“Thirteen.”

 

“Do you have any powers and if so, what are they?”

 

“I have none,” Carlos answered. Then after a thought added, “Sir.”

 

The doctor was scribbling something in his notes but Carlos couldn’t see what he wrote. However, whatever it was made the soldier take his mask off. The soldier had an angry looking face which Carlos couldn’t tell if it was his resting face or his attitude towards Carlos. If Carlos’s memory served right, this man was most likely angry because he tried to take him down. Whoops.

 

“You have been in here for a few hours,” The doctor said looking up and putting his pen in his coat pocket. “And we ran a few tests while you were unconscious. Your bruises will heal within the next month, your scars will take a few years...” The doctor seemed unsure of how to proceed. The soldier gave him a little shove so he could spit his words out.

 

“Apparently, we don’t know how, a microchip was put into your brain. This microchip has blocked your powers out and is the reason your powers haven’t developed. And considering how… quickly you reacted to your… Mother’s orders we can only assume for now that the microchip made you more susceptible… er more sensitive to her powers.” The good doctor allowed Carlos to process this information. Carlos’s face remained blank. “We have to remove the microchip soon otherwise something unfortunate may happen. Nothing like this has ever happened before so we can’t be sure how it could affect you. We scheduled a surgeon to come down here tomorrow.”

 

The soldier spoke for the first time since Carlos met him. “I have been stationed to monitor you until then. I will be making sure you don’t pull any funny business mister.

 

The doctor looked at him from the side of his eye. “He will be outside your door. Just call and he’ll get you anything you need alright?” He gave the soldier another wary look. “Get a lot of rest okay?” He gave Carlos a smile and left. The soldier narrowed his eyes at the small boy before leaving the room as well.

 

Carlos stared at the door even long after it was closed. He would have a long day ahead of him tomorrow.

 

*

 

The soldiers ushered all the children out of the common area and into a different wing of the warehouse. They walked to an underground wing and put into rooms with their siblings. (Though he knew some people would be switching rooms so they could fuck away their feelings.) As far as anyone could tell they were just normal rooms with cots instead of beds. It was honestly no different for Jay compared to his thin, spongy mattress. A soldier pushed him into the room and Jay tried not to think of how they treated him only a few hours before.

 

He tried not to think of Evie calling his house to warn him about the soldiers.

 

_(“Hello?_

_“Oh God Jay, you have to get out. People are taking our parents.”_

_“What?”_

_“Just take your dad and run!”_

_“Before it’s too late!”)_

 

He tried not to think of how he thought about his options for too long that he was robbed of them.

 

( _Should I tell Jafar or should I run?_

_There’s no ‘I’ in ‘team’..._

_But he is my father…_

_You have to look out for number one- and that’s you.)_

 

He tried not to think of how loudly his father, the great and fearsome Jafar, yelled trying to get away from the men.

 

( _Get your hands off of me! I have done nothing wrong! Get off!)_

 

He tried not to think of how he ran out of the shop like some _civilian_ instead of teleporting to a place far far away.

 

_(His heart was throbbing under his chest as he ran out the back door._

_I have to get out of here._

_I have to get out of here._

_I have to get out of here._

_Why am I still here?_

_I have to get out of here._

_I have to get out of here._

 

_“Stop right there!”)_

 

He tried not to think of how quickly the soldiers caught up to him because he ran too slow.

_(“Stop!”_

_Jay didn’t listen._

_His feet took him down an alleyway._

 

I left my own father behind. _He thought._

 

_I have to get out of here._

_I have to get out of here._

_“Stop!”)_

 

He tried not to think of how the soldiers slammed his body into the brick wall so hard his cheek still stung from the cut.

 

_(Jay struggled against the weight of the man pinning him to the wall._

_I have to get out of here._

_I have to get out of here._

_Why are my powers not working?)_

 

He tried not to think of the soldier who was holding him against it so hard he could feel his ribs dig into his lungs.

 

He tried not to think of how cold the gun was when it was pressed against the back of his head.

 

( _“Don’t try anything.”_

 

_He continued to struggle and resist the men._

 

_The coldness of the gun was the only thing that kept him still.)_

 

 

He tried not to think of how shallow his breathing got, to the point that he wasn’t breathing at all.

 

He tried not to think of how light headed he got.

 

He tried not to think of how blurry everything looked.

 

_(Where were they taking him?_

_What was that over there?_

_A yacht?_

_A house?_

_It was hard to tell.)_

 

He tried not to think of the gruff voice that told him, _‘if he tried anything, he was dead._ ’

 

He tried not to think of how he couldn’t use his powers to get away.

 

He tried not to think of how he could be anywhere but here right now.

 

( _He could be in Hawaii_

_or Venezuela_

_or London_

_or Canada or-_ )

He thought about it. He thought about it all. And he broke down. Like the other kids in the warehouse, he broke down. His crying joined the others in the building whose sobs could be heard from the halls.

 

He sat on his cot and thought about how weak he was. He needed to be better. He could not let that happen ever again. ( _This was a moment of weakness. Not a life of weakness.)_ He hated how useless he was even when the one person he had to save was himself. What happens if the only person you can rely on isn’t reliable? What then?

 

Oh God, what if something happened during the wand heist? What then? His… friends would be hurt. Or dead. Or worse sent to prison? He couldn't let that happen. No, he had to be better. He _will_ be better.

 

_Jafar was behind the counter counting their money for the day. Thirteen year old Jay was on top of the counter, swinging his legs and sucking on a popsicle. It was the beginning of the school year and Jay was skipping classes. It sounded fine and dandy until Jafar told him that he would be working that day. However, Jafar seemed to forget that there were less people around for Jay to steal from and even less people to sell their merchandise to. This decision made Jay very, very bored._

 

_“Jay,” Jafar said without looking up from shining a lamp. “I need you to do something for me.”_

 

_Jay threw his head back and let out a long, annoying noise. “Whhhyyyy? There’s no one to steal from today.”_

 

_“Not true, there is someone who’s left their house unguarded today.” Jafar looked at his son and smiled. Jay wondered who that idiot was._

 

_“Madame Medusa.”_

 

_“Who?” Jay looked at his with another annoyed yet confused look. Jafar gave him an exasperated look and let out a deep breath._

 

_“Owns that pawn shop on Mischief? That ginger bitch? Cruella deVil’s twin? She tried to run you over with her car?” Jay has a blank stare. “I punched her last week?”_

 

_Jay searched his mind for this lady (his father got into fights with a lot of women, particularly those who wanted their jewelry back.) “Oooooohhhhhh, yeah okay.” He said when he remembered._

 

_“Go to her house. In her attic there is a safe. Break into that and get her diamonds.” Jafar told him._

 

_When Jay arrived to the front of Medusa’s house he was confident this would be an easy in-and-out job. Sure he never robbed someone’s house before, sticking to pickpocketing or snatching stuff when they weren’t looking, but how hard could it be? He climbed up the side of the house using the drain pipe. He lost his grip a few times but it only made him more determined to climb back up. When he got on the roof, he opened the attic window easily (‘Crazy bitch didn’t bother locking it properly. It’s like she’s asking to get robbed,’ thought Jay) and slipped in._

 

_Jay looked around the small room. He took one step forward and the floorboard creaked beneath him. He made a face and a mental note to watch his step. He walked around looking for anything that would be a safe. Many people, including Jafar, used numerous objects to be a safe. There was a ceramic tiger in Jay’s kitchen that had a detachable head where they stored coins. Jay once went to Anthony’s apartment where his family used a portrait to hide their savings (well, used to. He and Anthony used that money to buy themselves ice cream.) But nothing in Medusa’s attic could be used as a safe. There was nothing here but dust, a stool a rotary phone and a box filled with expired makeup._

 

_But Jay supposed it wouldn’t hurt to look more closely. He went through each piece of makeup, opening each one in case Medusa broke the diamond into tiny pieces and stored it in there. Jay made sure everything was back in its rightful place in case Medusa had a system. He inspected the simple wooden stool for a hollow leg or seat where the diamonds could be kept. Jay sat down on the chair and swung his legs. All that was left was the rotary phone. He had always wondered how they worked. The electricity was always on the fritz so phones were rarely used. He put it on his lap and spun the wheel around. Jay’s ears perked up and spun the wheel again. There was no sound until he tilted the phone towards him._

 

_Bingo._

 

_He eagerly looked for an opening but when he didn’t find one he slammed the phone into the ground until it was in pieces. But he didn’t care about the mess- he had a diamond. There were actually a few pieces of jewelry but he liked the biggest diamond. It was an oval cut, internally flawless, and near colorless. If he ever got married he wanted this to be on his ring. He was so mesmerized by the diamond that he jumped when the front door slammed beneath him._

 

_Suddenly his heart was beating fast as he looked for a place to hide. There wasn’t anything Jay could hide behind but it didn’t stop him from running around. And that was his first mistake- he forgot about the creaking floors. His breath hitched when he heard Medusa’s footsteps grow louder. Oh he needed to leave, he needed to leave right this moment. But he was frozen in place. His heart was beating faster than he ever thought it could and the only thing on his mind was that he had to leave. His eyes fell on the door handle which had begun to turn and he saw the green eyed lady’s hand push the door open and then-_

 

_He opened his eyes and he was in front of Medusa’s house. On instinct he ran away. He ran in the direction of Jafar’s shop, down alleyways, on buildings, and into the shop itself at long last. Jafar was still counting the cash register and looked up to see Jay. He took in his son’s heavy breathing and red face and broke into a grin._

 

_“Jay! You got the diamond!” Jafar said and ran to his son. Jay held out the diamond with pride. Jafar looked at the diamond with glee before looking back at his son expectantly._

 

_“Jay, where’s the rest?” Jafar patted his son down as if the boy would steal it for himself. “Jay where is it?”_

 

_“I thought you only wanted the diamond?”_

 

_“Well I know there’s more. Come on Jay where is the rest?”_

 

_“It’s all at her house.”_

 

_Jafar sighed and threw the diamond back at his son. “Polish it and put it in the case.”_

 

_Jay did as he was told before he spoke up again. “Do you think I could set up a price for this? I mean since we’re a team, I thought I could-”_

 

_“Jadiir, my boy,” Jafar laughed. “We’ve been over this. You’re my employee, not my business partner. There is no ‘I’ in ‘team’. You’re the one who isn’t selling this stuff. I am.You don’t even know how much these cost.” Jafar sucked on a popsicle and fanned himself. “You know you’re not even good enough to even do it.”_

 

_‘That’s right Jay thought. ‘I did almost get caught and I did leave a mess behind. He would be smarter next time and next time, he would get the information by himself and steal it without Jafar’s permission first. After all, he was the one with powers and not Jafar. He looked at his reflection in the case mirror and smiled. Yeah, he had powers now. He didn’t have to rely on anyone any more. And he knew the first place he was going to go._

 

_Medusa has a few more gems he wouldn’t mind taking._

 

Jay looked around at the four brick walls that caged him. This place was making him think long and hard. He didn’t like it. He needed to get out of this place. Just for a little bit (just in case those guards manhandled him _again_ ). To clear his head and get some fresh air.

 

He thought of a place- somewhere calm and warm. A place where he would feel safe even if it was just for a little bit. He thought of those pictures in those magazines- the ones with those fluffy white blankets filled with feathers or thick quilts on top of a comfy bed that had a plate of some sort of snack that a loving parent (one you _didn’t_ call by their first name) put there so their kid would grow up strong and healthy. Yikes, that thought alone made him feel queasy. _I can’t deal with that sort of shit,_ Jay thought to himself. _Not now at least._ He refocused on a calm, warm, safe place.

 

And with that he felt the air shift and change. It was more sanitary, cooler, and a little like disinfectant. When he opened his eyes he found himself staring at a white wall. The air was conditioned so he had a few goosebumps and he found the white wall to be a bit callous. _This place must put limitations on our powers._ Jay thought to himself. At least that was what he thought he wanted until he heard a voice.

 

“Jay?” The tall boy turned from the blank wall to see his friend on a medical bed with bruises on his face. Jay walked over to him, willing himself not to put his hand on Carlos’s face to check on how bad the swelling was. Instead he sat on the bed and smiled at him.

 

“Hey man, what happened to you?” Jay asked. He had to make sure the soldiers didn’t do it because if they did, Jay couldn’t be held responsible for their deaths.

 

“I fell down the stairs when I was on my way to answer the door before they came in.” Carlos told him. “The doctor said I blacked out.”

 

“Yikes,” Jay made a face. Carlos was always so clumsy. It would be hilarious if he wasn’t always getting bruises and scars so easily.

 

“Yeah, the doctor wants to run some tests in the morning. Make sure I don’t have any permanent damage. They’re keeping me here until he gives them the okay.”

 

Jay teleported away and Carlos coughed on the smoke. When he finally stopped coughing, Jay appeared again in a puff of smoke. This time he was standing on the side of the bed with a folded up cot in one hand.

 

“Do you want me to stay the night with you?” Jay asked as he unfolded the cot and put it next to his bed.

 

Carlos rolled his eyes. “Sure since you’re already making yourself comfortable.”

 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Jay said as he sat criss-cross on the cot. He held out a bag of pretzels. “Want one?” He asked with his mouth full.

 

Carlos rolled his eyes again and took the bag for himself. Jay jumped off his bed and took his shirt off so he could get comfortable. Carlos couldn’t help but stare at the taller boy’s tattoos. Jay had a few- a double bank on his left bicep, a geometrical diamond on his wrist, and an arabic tattoo with a simple diamond next to it on his collarbone. Carlos was there when Jay got the tattoo on his collarbone. Jay remembered that day well.

 

_“Hey,” Jay says out of nowhere. Twelve year old Carlos nearly jumped out of his skin but calmed down once he saw it was Jay. He could have sworn he was walking by himself._

 

_“What’s up?” Carlos asked, not quite trusting the grin Jay gave him. The question only made it grow bigger though and he pushed the smaller boy down the alley. Carlos wasn’t sure if he liked where this was going. On one hand, alleyways were used by prostitutes and their customers. On the other hand, Carlos had no money and he knew Jay never had any either. Also he didn’t think Jay thinking of him as a prostitute was a good thing. He had nothing against it, but the ones who used alleyways were kicked out of ‘Madame Gothel’s’ for a reason._

 

_Jay reached into his pocket and pulled out a necklace. It was a gold necklace with a simple diamond attached to the chain. Neither boy were experts on jewelry but both of them knew it would sell a very pretty penny for Jay’s father’s shop._

 

_“Where did you get it?” Carlos asked, fingers gingerly playing with the chain._

 

_“Madame Medusa. She has a bunch of them in her house, she won’t miss this one.” Jay said happily. Jay was sure she would miss it because what kind of villain would she be if she didn’t have incredible greed? But that would be another problem for another day. For now, he was going to relish in the moment. “And guess what?” Jay said excitedly._

 

_“What?” Carlos asked taking his eyes away from the necklace and into Jay’s eyes._

 

_“I finally found out what my powers are!” He said in a whisper-yell. He was practically bouncing. Carlos smiled and jumped with him._

 

_“That’s awesome!” Jay disappeared in a puff of smoke and Carlos coughed and swatted it away._

 

_“Hey man.” Jay called from the fire escape above. Carlos looked up at him with wide eyes._

 

_“That is so cool!” He said and Jay jumped down in front of him._

 

_“Right? Anyway I need a favor.” Jay leaned over and whispered into Carlos’s ear._

 

_*_

 

_Both boys walked into Ursula’s fish fry, Jay with an eager smile and Carlos with a smirk at his friend’s eagerness._

 

_“You have the cash?” Thirteen year old Marina asked with her back turned to get the needle ready. Uma was in the corner, wearing an apron and peeling an apple with her switchblade. Carlos thought she looked like the epitome of chill but he also knew better. If thirteen year old Jay didn’t have the money, he would meet Uma’s bloodlust._

 

_“It’s here.” Jay threw some cash on the table. Carlos did a mental count and found that it was twenty whole dollars. He wanted to ask where he got it but knew better than to ask. This neighborhood had a strict ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy._

 

_“Well sit right down.” Marina said with a sly smile as she took a seat on the fading stool. One of the legs was shorter than the others so it wobbled a bit under her weight. Carlos gave his friend a look. “I don’t know why you brought your little pup here. Is he going to hold your hand?” Marina asked in a baby voice._

 

_Uma laughed and the peel fell onto the floor._

 

_Jay didn’t take the bait as he took a seat on the lounge chair. “I came here for a tattoo, not small talk.”_

 

_“Small talk makes the tattoo be done faster. What do you want and where do you want it?” Jay nodded his head towards Marina and Carlos showed her the picture. It was hard to get wifi in the neighborhood but Jay knew Carlos would get it. He had asked him for some Arabic words on Google translate._

 

_“Where do you want it?” Jay took off his shirt and pointed to his right collarbone. Marina nodded as Jay took his shirt off. Carlos tried to look away from his best friend and at anything else._

 

_“What does it mean?” Marina asked as she propped the paper up on her tattoo cart. She wiped Jay’s collarbone. Carlos took note of how it made Jay’s skin darker and shinier, like crystals reflecting the sun. Carlos shook himself out of these thoughts and took a seat next to Jay._

 

 _“It means ‘_ fear nothing’” _Jay responded with a grin. Marina rolled her eyes and got started._

 

_“What a load of shit,” Uma laughed and took a bite of her apple. “You sound like such a fuckboy.”_

 

_Carlos had to wonder where she got the apple. It looked fresh and fresh food was a rarity in the neighborhood. Especially apples. Apples were even rarer because of how compatible they were with most potions. In fact, when most fresh apples were found, adults used them for potions to get out of the neighborhood. Ursula must have given up trying to use big spells._

 

_“Fuck off Uma.” Marina rolled her eyes, “Don’t be rude to people who pay.” Marina took the needle to the long haired boy’s body. Jay sucked in air. Carlos offered his hand and Jay took it. His hand was large and strong, near bone crushing for Carlos. It was nice._

 

_By the time the tattoo was done, Jay’s skin was red and sensitive but the black ink against his dark skin made him look badass. Uma even gave her nod of approval when she saw the tattoo._

 

_“Be careful with this yeah? Keep it clean and stuff.” Marina put the needle down and wiped the tattoo a little._

 

_“Thanks Marina.” Jay said not taking his eyes off the tattoo. He doesn’t regret it, not like most things he does on a whim._

 

_When the two boys left the shop Jay still hadn’t put his shirt back on, choosing to bear through the cool autumn air so he could show off his new tattoo. He swung one arm around Carlos and smiled at him._

 

_“Thanks for being there man. You’re the best.”_

 

Carlos looked at the tattoo and knew he had to stay fearless. He could not afford to have fear. Not now, not ever.

 

Jay thought about that day and swallowed. He could not afford to have fear. Not now, not ever.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was heavy, I know. It's been a few bleak and gory couple of chapters lately so as a treat I will be making the next fic as light as possible. It will pretty much be a crack fic (but it's important to the plot, probably.) I will also have either a chapter or an independent fic centered around the kids' sexual orientations. Unfortunately it won't be written in time for Pride Month but I will write it. Also, leave reviews and kudos. Tell me what you think and if you have any ideas you'd like to see, tell me! I'd love to have your input!
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	17. Dogscendants

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who let the dogs out?- A Fluff Chapter

It took a while for Jay to fall asleep. He was used to sleeping alone on a mattress so the cot next to Carlos required a bit of an adjustment for him. But he fell asleep eventually. Once he was asleep, Jay woke up in a dream land unlike anything he had ever been in before. He was at school, in the quad, lying down on the grass. It looked exactly like school except that everything was huge! And instead of humans, all Jay saw were dogs. Regular dogs, not like Bill Syke’s mutant canines, just running around the quad playing with toys. Well, regular except for they were all wearing doggie jackets. He looked around for a clue for what was going on. Then it finally hit him.

 

He was a dog. 

 

( _ Huh, weird) _

 

It was the only logical explanation for why everything was so much bigger than him. And why there were dogs everywhere. A multitude of dogs- big, small, furry, and short haired ran around in colorful clothing. Jay spotted a familiar shade of blue in the corner of his eye. He turned his head completely and saw that the dog he spotted was dressed exactly like Evie!

 

Jay ran towards Evie Dog with excitement. The dog was really cute too. It was mostly white, save for the ears and nose which were light brown, and had tiny little paws. He even noticed the blue extension sticking out from behind its ear. Oh man, human Evie would be so psyched to know that someone out in the world is making dog clothes based on her clothes (after they got their share of the profits of course). Once Jay reached Evie Dog, who was laying down on the soft grass, he took a seat next to her. He put a hand on her head but when it landed on the small dog’s soft fur he realized it was his hand but a paw!

 

_ ‘Right, I’m a dog. I don’t have opposable thumbs, I have paws.’ _ Jay (Jay Dog, now that he found out he was no longer human) thought to himself. _ ‘If I’m a dog, does this mean I can take my vest off now? It’s so hot.’ _

 

As Jay rolled around in the grass attempting to get his leather vest off three more dogs came over. One was a fluffy, white dog that reminded him of a fluffy snow fox.  _ Aw it even has a little purple extension.  _ Jay thought gleefully.  _ I’m calling you Mal Dog. _

 

The second one was a skinny dog with rust colored spots against his white fur wearing a black, white, and red leather jacket. Jay barked in amusement. If Carlos saw himself as a dog, he would just pass out. Or get over his fear of dogs but Jay needed a good laugh. The hilariousness of it the situation was hilarious. 

 

The final dog had a ball in its mouth and was wearing a tie around its neck.  _ What a pompous dog, _ Jay thought. Who did Jay know that would wear such an outfit?  _ That must be Ben. _

 

“Dude.” Jay tried to ask Carlos what Ben was doing with them but his words came out as a ‘ _ woof!’ _

 

“Woof!” Carlos Dog replied, yet in Jay’s mind it translated to “ _ What’s up?” _

 

Jay wanted to ask what was going on but then decided not to because this was probably a dream or he ate something Mal made. And who was he to get in the way of some fun? Besides, dogs were cool.

 

“Arf! Arf!” Jay Dog barked, which in human English meant,  _ “Is there a ball we can play with here?” _

 

“Bark! Bark” Ben Dog spoke, which in human English meant, “ _ Play with me. See if you can get my ball!”  _ And the well dressed dog ran off with a ball in its mouth.

 

Jay Dog ran after Ben Dog and soon his other dog friends followed. Jay Dog barked after the well dressed dog until Ben Dog turned around and dropped the ball from his mouth. Jay Dog slid across the grass to catch it with his mouth. He chewed and gnawed on the fading tennis ball, rolling his head into the ground as he did so. Mal Dog stared off into the distance with Evie Dog by her side. Carlos Dog had scampered off somewhere Jay couldn’t see because he was still busy chewing on his ball. 

 

But then another object caught his tiny puppy eyes. It was bright yellow and when Jay Dog pattered his way to the mysterious yellow object he thought they looked like fingers. Tiny, yellow fingers. He chewed on the weird fingers until he saw a red object not too far away. Taking the fingers in his mouth he made his way to the red object. Seeing the yellow toy next to the red one made him connect the dots.

 

“Woof!” Jay Dog said, which in human English meant,  _ “French fries!” _

 

Jay loved french fries as a human. When the government came to his neighborhood to drop off the monthly food donations, he was always quick to steal the french fries if there were any. Jay Dog continued to chew on the stuffed toy. He drooled thinking about  _ actual _ french fries food.

 

“Arf!” Evie Dog said, which in human English meant,  _ “You’re slobbering all over the toy! _ ”

 

“Bark!” Jay Dog replied, which in human English meant, “ _ We’re dogs, it’s what we do!” _

 

A loud howl was heard and Jay Dog translated that to English meaning,  _ “Yeah we are!” _ in Carlos’s voice. Jay Dog smiled even though he couldn’t see his friend.

 

“Woof woof woof woof woof.” Ben Dog said, which in human English meant,  _ “Play with me!”  _ He jumped around with another ball in his mouth.

 

“Arf!” Jay responded, which in human English meant, _ “Yeah man!” _

 

Jay Dog chased after Ben Dog across the lawn. When Ben Dog turned around, his lower half was on the ground and tail wagging in the air. Jay Dog mirrored his actions. Both dogs jumped side to side until Jay Dog got tired of mime games and tackled the furry dog. Ben Dog barked at Jay Dog though it translated through the dog’s head as laughter. Jay Dog wagged his tail and smiled, breathing heavily at him.

 

Mal Dog came running, her hair extension falling out as she did so, barking at them. Both dogs moved out of the way so the snowy furred dog could lie down where they previously stood. She seemed content just lie there with her tongue out. Jay Dog rolled his puppy dog eyes and saw the yellow to he was previously slobbering over. He walked to it and grabbed it with his mouth. He began to drive his head into the ground, rubbing it while munching on the toy. Evie Dog sat across from him, munching on a stuffed corn that made crinkly sounds every time she dug her teeth into it. Both of her hair extensions were gone but that was fine with Jay Dog- dogs don’t need hair extensions to chew on their toys and have a good time.

 

Jay Dog munched on the toy until a thought came into his head- Could he get his belly rubbed? As a human, he had always wanted his belly rubbed but it seemed like such a weird question to ask especially since his friends never liked physical contact unless it was to hit one another. But he couldn’t help it, he was touch starved. Jay Dog laid on his back, waiting for a human to rub his furry, little belly.

 

Oh wait- there were no humans.

 

This thought made Jay Dog sad. Well, if he wasn’t going to be getting belly rubs as a dog he might as well be a human who can ask his friends for belly rubs. And with that Jay Dog woke up- or would he be called Jay Human now? No, no he wouldn’t that sounds weird.

 

_ Damn it!  _ Jay thought to himself with a groan,  _ Now I have to do human stuff like dress myself and get a job.  _ He pulled his blanket over his head.  _ I should have stayed a dog.  _ He thought as he tried to will himself back to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I got the idea after binge watching all the dogscendants videos even though I'm not a big dog person. I felt that there needed to be a nice relief period before we jump straight back into all the angsty stuff that's going on. I might make this a regular thing, the dog dreams but in different POV each time, in between angsty chapters. I don't know. I also might make it a seperate fic as well. Let me know in the comments. More comments means faster updates! Have a great day!


	18. Shower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Being a prisoner isn't all bad...
> 
> AKA Jay is bored, Mal and Evie adopt a daughter, and Carlos is MIA

The doctor from the day before greeted Carlos before he could enter the surgery room. 

 

“Did you have a good night?” Carlos nodded, still a little tired. He was still in bed, eating the breakfast- scrambled eggs, orange juice, and a piece of toast- the doctors prepared for him. Jay had left while Carlos was still sleeping, presumably so he wouldn’t get caught, so Carlos woke up alone. 

 

“That’s good to hear,” The doctor said with a smile. “The surgeon arrived this morning. After you’re finished your breakfast we’ll be taking you down to the surgery room.”

 

The doctor bit his lip and looked down at Carlos. “Before you get surgery though, I would like to ask you,” The doctor cleared his throat and gave the boy a sorrowful look. Carlos did not appreciate it. “When the men bringing you in inspected your body for any bruises or diseases you could have picked up, they noticed you had a lot of old bruises. More than most of the other kids in our care.”

 

Carlos had to wonder how many kids were in his care because he knew the kids in his neighborhood. He was observant and quiet enough that people didn’t realize the conversations they had while he was there. He saw people with worse scars than him and far more bruises too. Siblings in the public bathrooms would patch each other up, kids who were the only child of their families went to older kids for protection, and other kids who wouldn’t even hide it. It wasn’t everyone, though some kids even used makeup to cover themselves up so flawlessly no one could tell if it was there or not, but there were a good number of kids who had it worse than him.

 

“Carlos I have to ask you, as a doctor and as a concerned adult, was your mother abusive towards you?”

 

Carlos wanted to respond quickly but the words were caught in his throat. He had been asked this question before and was still asking himself the same question. Was it abuse if he brought it upon himself? He’s spent long nights asking himself this and always came to the same answer- no. But he never stuck to it because that answer never felt right with him. Because his mother  _ did  _ have mind control powers. On the other hand, he should be strong enough to resist her after all these years. These questions also kept him up throughout the night. 

 

“No, my mother has never laid a hand on me my entire life.” Carlos answered honestly. The doctor sighed. “I’m just clumsy and my friends like playing rough. That’s all it is.” Another truth.

 

“I see. Well, I had to get that cleared up before I take you to surgery. Do you think you can walk? Or would you like the wheelchair?”

 

Carlos resisted the urge to roll his eyes and shook his head. “I’ll walk.”

 

“Great. I see you’re almost done your breakfast so I’ll just wait here.”

 

Carlos was not a fan of being watched while he ate so he avoided eye contact as much as possible with the good doctor. His eyes remained firmly on his tray. It was weird having someone watch him eat so intently so he hurried up and drank his orange juice in one gulp. He felt bad for not savoring the food he was given but it was his first- and best- meal in a while so part of him couldn’t help shoving the food in his mouth.

 

“I’m done.” He wiped his mouth his his arm and the Doctor stood up.

 

“Great, follow me please.” In a split second, Carlos wondered if he should make his bed up. It was an old habit of his but the doctor seemed to be in a rush to get Carlos to the operating room so maybe he shouldn’t…? 

 

“No, I’m not going to makeup my bed.” He muttered to himself as he stared at the bed. “I don’t have to do it.”

 

“What was that?” The doctor poked his head back into the room.

 

“Nothing.” He said quickly and followed the doctor out of the room.

 

****

 

Evie braided her hair as she paced in her room. She hadn’t showered last night or even changed her clothes. She smelled like dust and sweat now that her perfume wore off. She mentally beat herself up for not sneaking in extra clothes with her. The soldier she spoke to told her they would get her when it was her turn to shower but they still hadn’t come. She had to sleep in the outfit she wore the previous day. She was a repeat offender (of outfits). Her mother would beat her for this if she saw. And Evie would let her.

 

Mal wasn’t the least bit helpful. Normally Evie would have loved to sleep in the same room as her tiny friend instead of whoever else the government decided her to room with. But Evie couldn’t look at the positive side at the moment. Mal wouldn’t stop teasing Evie for complaining about ‘frivolous things’ like clothes or showers. (‘’Oh the horror. The horror! Wearing clothes over and over again.’’) Which, yes Evie would admit her clothes would be a trivial matter to discuss in front of Mal, but Evie was also concerned about hygiene. If someone didn’t give her a toothbrush or some soap  _ this instant _ , she would grow dirty and ugly and sickly and never marry a rich man. (The government couldn’t blame her if she murdered someone because she was dirty. It was their fault.) Just because Mal went weeks on end without showering does not mean Evie going to follow her. (Her crush on that girl be damned!)

 

“Could you stop pacing around?” Mal asked as she propped herself up on the cot with a smirk. “One of the soldiers told us they will get us when the bathrooms are empty. So stop worrying and get back to bed.”

 

Evie just gave the shorter girl a look that could only be described as ‘panic’. 

 

“You know,” Mal said with a sly look “I read stress leads to gray hair and wrinkles.”

 

Evie’s eyes went huge and she immedietely lied down on the bed forcing herself to calm down. Her eyes were wide and stared straight ahead at the ceiling above her. A knock came to the door.

 

“It’s fine, I’ll get it.” Mal said. She opened the door and little Dizzy Tremaine came in, still dressed in the clothes she wore when she was crying in last night. Dizzy ran to Evie’s bed and sat on top of it. Evie gave a sigh of relief- Dizzy’s positive energy usually made things better.

 

“Hello to you too Dizzy.” Mal said with an eye roll and a slam of the door.

 

“Evie can I stay with you while we’re here? My cousins are being mean.”

 

“Well of course they’re being mean we’re villains.” Evie laughed and ‘booped’ the younger girl’s nose. “But yeah you could totally stay with us.”

 

“Yeah totally.” Mal said collapsing on her cot. “Just makeup with your family soon ‘kay.”

 

“Thanks guys! Can you guys tell me about high school?” The girl asks practically bouncing on the cot. “Do you guys have a boyfriend yet? Does the cafeteria have ice cream? Oh, oh is there ice cream everyday?” Dizzy gasped with a huge smile “Which describes high school best so far- wacky rom com or quicky musical?”

 

Evie and Mal exchanged looks. Mal considered telling her it was more like ‘teen horror movie.’

 

“I think our school is a lot like a musical.” Evie said with a gentle smile. Mal did a fake cough with a smile.  _ Yep, high school is like Heathers. Or better yet, Sweeney Todd. I think the lunch the other day was made of human flesh.  _

 

“You are sooo Sharpay,” Dizzy said. “Those heroes totally stole her spotlight. She deserved that spot.”

 

“Right? I knew I taught you well.” Evie gave the girl a tight hug.

 

****

Jay stared at the wall above him. The soldiers gave him no insight into what the schedule for today was going to be like. If he recalled correctly, it was Sunday. Jay would have never believed that the day has come where he actually  _ wishes _ he were in his biology class right now. His roommate is out, has been since Jay returned.  _ Maybe I don’t have a roommate.  _ He thought.  _ Sounds a little too good to be true, but it may be a silver lining.  _

 

Jay needed a silver lining to help him through this. The walls were thin enough that he could hear every scream and argument every person got into. It made him long for the days when all he had to worry about was a screaming match between his father and one of their angry customers. At least he could sleep through two people arguing. He tried to escape everyone’s bitter arguments but it seemed that everyone has taken up every inch of their prison. Jay tried to teleport out of the warehouse but something was keeping him inside. If there was one thing that Jay hated it would be staying cooped up in one place. 

 

_ It must be a curse _ , he mused  _ To keep a person with the ability to go anywhere in the world, in one location. Even Jafar let me roam around before dragging me home by my lamp. Man, that was deep! And never thought I’d miss the old man.  _ Jay chuckled to himself before sneezing.  _ Clearly no one bothered cleaning this place up before we got here.  _

 

Jay eyed the dust particles that floated around the room. Between the dust and that odd smell that permeated the entire warehouse, Jay hated it. The smell was an odd mixture of drywall, dust, rust, and stale bread. Jay wanted to go back to his neighborhood because even that smelled better, more familiar. He didn’t even wish to go back to his room. He could just wander around his neighborhood for weeks. His neighborhood smelled like salt, booze, trash, and was always humid so those smells were amplified but he wanted to go back. _Distance makes the heart grow fonder I suppose._ Jay thought to himself. He wished for the aroma of Evie’s kitchen. _Maybe I could visit Evie?_ He thought to himself. _Wouldn’t hurt to see her. Maybe she’s got food._

 

Jay thought of Evie. She was probably pacing the room, wondering when she would be able to shower next. Sometimes Jay felt jealous that Evie was one of the lucky few that possessed a mostly working shower in their neighborhood. He often thought about breaking into their house so he could take a shower himself, especially on days he felt really gross, but it never sat right with him to break into Evie’s house. But he sort of was glad he went days without showering because it felt like years since the soldiers told him he would have to wait his turn to shower. He thought of Evie and appeared in front of the blue haired girl in a cloud of smoke.

 

Jay heard three coughing voices and when the smoke cleared he was greeted by his friends and Mal.

 

“What’s up guys?” Jay asked nonchalantly as he collapsed onto Mal’s cot. “How’s the prisoner life treating you?”

 

“Terribly,” Evie replied. “We’re  _ still  _ waiting for our turn to take a shower. Dizzy here is gonna stay with us for a while.”

 

“Yeah, I’m still waiting for my turn too,” Jay said “But what can you do?”

 

“Least it won’t be the first time we had to go without showers.” Mal said.

 

“I think Ginny brought some perfume I could borrow,” Dizzy thought aloud.

 

“Omigosh,” Evie sat up. “We don’t have any extra clothes. What’s today? Sunday? We have school tomorrow. I can’t go to school in a three day old outfit.” She gasped. “My mother would kill me.”

 

“Your mom won’t know,” Jay said.

 

“Where’s Carlos?” Dizzy asked noticing the tall boy was missing the boy who was usually attached to his hip.

 

“The doctors are doing something to him right now. Surgery or something.”

 

“Well, we’ll be sure to send him a fruit basket.” Mal joked.

 

“Yep, one with lots of strawberries.” Jay replied. 

 

Fruit baskets was a private joke between Jay and Mal. A while back they were going through some old magazines filled with a bunch of things the bougie liked. It was nothing they could afford so instead they began to make fun of everything- white shirts, boat shoes, wine glasses, everything. Fruit baskets got most of the heat though. Sure they looked good in the pictures but they appealed to flies more than people after a few days in the sun. Fruit baskets were just a rich person way of wasting food because they didn’t want to give it to needier children and so they could give a subtle ‘fuck you’ to the receiver. 

 

“You two are so weird.” Evie said as she watched her friends laugh at their private joke. Someone knocked on the door and Evie answered it.

 

A guard was standing there in his uniform. “The shower is now open for two females.”

 

“Bye!” Evie said as she raced down the hallway.

 

“Watch Dizzy ‘kay?” Mal said as she followed the blue haired girl. The long haired boy and the glasses wearing girl stared at each other from across their beds. 

 

“... So do you like dress up?” Dizzy asked.

 

****

Carlos was put under heavy anesthetics and fell asleep almost immediately. The surgeon above him got to work. The surgeon had X-Ray vision so they were able to locate the chip almost immediately. The chip was located Carlos’s premotor cortex, the part of the brain that controls the body’s movements, and seemed to have shut down any connection Carlos could have had to his powers. The chip also seemed to affect his entire brain as the primary auditory cortex, the part of the brain that analyzes sound, was more responsive to commands.  _ Probably so his mom could boss him around easier.  _ The surgeon thought bitterly as they sealed his parietal bone to the rest of his skull. The surgeon took a second to admire their handiwork- no scars, no blood, and no ugly haircuts were spotted anywhere near the boy’s skull. God how the surgeon loved their powers. 

 

“I’m all done with him.” The surgeon told the doctor. “Keep him in bed- resting- for a while, two days at most. Try to keep him from doing any extraneous work like sports or tests for the next week.” The surgeon took their gloves off. “Keep his activities at a minimum and try not to aggravate him too much.”

 

“Do you think he has powers?” The doctor blurted out. His colleagues looked at him with some shock but were glad someone voiced the one concern everyone in the operating room was having.

 

The surgeon sighed. “I took some liberty of taking some of his DNA during his surgery. I know we have procedures we have to follow but I thought it best I take them privately given his family history.” The surgeon reached for their tablet and read from it. “The results show he has the chromosome that says he was born with abilities. I can’t say for certain when they will develop because the chip shut off his powers. I don’t know if it’s for good  _ but  _ we should keep an eye on him in case his powers develop.”

 

“Given the company his mother kept it’s possible he is a designer baby- for lack of a better term.” The doctor said when he got some looks from his colleagues. “Some of those babies showed absolutely no powers from when they were born to when they died.”

 

“But others did.” Another doctor argued.

 

“I say when we all just keep a close eye on the boy. He’s going to Auradon Prep so at least he’s going to be able to control his abilities if they ever come up.” A third doctor spoke rationally.

 

“Agreed. In the meantime he can rest up. When he wakes up we can begin to monitor him.” The surgeon said.

 

“After he’s recovered, let’s put him in a room with his brothers.” The second doctor said. “There should be enough room in there for him there.”

 

****

 

When Mal stepped into the shower room, she understood why everyone was taking a long time. Even though they were public showers, it was more glamorous than what any of the kids were used to. The glue that connected the tile floors together were not quite dirty enough to blacken, the mirrors were clean, nothing was broken, and the showers were apparently new enough that no mold had grown yet. 

 

_ And the best part, _ Mal thought to herself as she stepped under one of the shower heads  _ Was that there was hot water.  _

 

She was so used to cold showers she never thought of what she was missing. As soon as that hot water touched her skin, Mal felt that she could live inside this shower forever. Her muscles relaxed for the first time in years. Each drop of water that fell onto her skin immediately took all her stress away. The government also gave them shampoo. It wasn’t even the shitty brand most people never heard or even the store brand that gave the most generic of smells. It was a brand named shampoo that smelled like, what Mal imagined to be, fresh fruits with exotic names like coconut. It smelled heavenly. For once in her life, Mal felt no need to rush. She stood there in the shower massaging her head and letting the hot water fall onto her body without care.

 

It wasn’t perfect of course. Evie next to her anxiously scrubbing the ‘dirt’ off her skin and Uma was on her other side  _ singing _ . But it did show Mal what she was missing. When she ruled the world by her mother’s side, Mal would be spending her free time showering in luxury. What a paradise it would be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DD 2 is coming out tomorrow and I cannot wait! But if someone could give me a way to watch it online I would love you forever. 
> 
> Also Uma has mind control (among other things I need to refine) (it's a lot like Ember from Danny Phantom), Harry has partial transformation in his left hand only and his favorite thing to transform into is a hook (his sisters have the same ability but CJ's is on her right hand and uses it to make whips and Harriet's in in her legs) and he has metal bones so he sinks fast, and Gil has super strength. Dizzy is too young to know about her powers.


	19. You Made Your Bed...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now Lie In It
> 
> A.K.A. We learn the life of Maleficent, Grimhilde, Jafar, and Cruella before they were parents. We learn their crimes, and their misdeeds as well as snippets of prison life for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for all your comments last chapter, they were so great! I've been working on this since before all those great suggestions but I'm sure you'll enjoy this chapter anyway. I think it's my longest chapter yet!

_It was hard work rounding villains up but we finally did it._ Thought a guard as he sat down. Almost every one of the prisoners fought back with tooth and nail but none of the soldiers’ lives were lost. The villains who were dead were due to wake up any moment now. The guard was in charge of watching over prisoners and make sure none of them escaped. It was unlikely any of them escaped but he was mostly in it so he could have some a quality TV. These prisoners were far better entertainment than any of that _Real Housewives_ junk his boyfriend watched. The guard checked the video monitor for the dead prisoners. Still dead. He’ll wait a bit longer. He had over a dozen video monitors to choose from after all. The guard could wait for wait for the dead- the living prisoners would provide him with some fine entertainment for now.

 

****

 

**_2017-09-23   02:19:28A_ **

Maleficent had stopped screaming and fighting a long time ago. Her voice was coarse and her body was tired. Still, her spirit was strong. She looked around the room the soldiers put her in for an escape. It was a bright room, but so bright as the lights were nearly blinding, and everything was white. She needed to think of a way to escape from this ‘correctional facility’.

 

_“Think you evil genius, think!”_

 

**_Fall, 1975_ **

Attending the University of Evil at Massachusetts was hard work but Maleficent had always been a hard worker. From day in and day out, from dusk till dawn she was working hard to become the fiercest and vilest villain anyone had ever known. Which was, of course, easier said than done. Especially with the essay she had to write about torture. She was a better do-er than writer.

 

“Hey babe,” Maleficent’s boyfriend, Adam Stevens greeted. “Still stuck on that essay?”

 

“Yeah. I swear the more I read about Chinese water torture, the more boring it gets.” She complained.

 

“Well, I’ve got an idea that would change your mind off of it,” Adam told her with a sly grin.

 

“You’ve got my attention,” Maleficent spun around to face him with a smirk. “Tell me what you’re planning.”

 

“I’ve got an idea I think you’d like,” He grabbed her hand and ran to the university exit. The entire school was underground, located in an ever changing maze so hero would ever catch them. In order to get off campus you either needed to win a lottery (which was rigged so people would have to cheat) or sneak out (which was equally as hard to do because the maze always changed so you couldn’t be sure you would come back to school).

 

Adam opened the door and lead his girlfriend to the roof. They climbed up there to find a picnic blanket, basket, and a plate of fine foods.

 

“Oh Adam is this for me?” Maleficent said in an overly dreamy voice. “Because I thought after dating for three years you would know me better than this.” She turned to him in an unamused manner.

 

“Oh sugar plum,” He said in a sickly sweet voice “Open up the basket and tell me I still don’t know you.”

 

Maleficent rolled her eyes and took a peek into the basket. It was full of rocks.

 

“Oh Adam you really _do_ know me.” She squealed-no not squealed, made a happy noise- and smiled at him. She picked the basket up and put it on the ledge where she sat down. “Would you like to join me darling?” She offered him a rock.

 

“Why thank you my lady,” He accepted the rock and transformed his hand into a gorilla arm. He searched for a target.

 

“Do that one,” She pointed at one of his fellow freshman. Adam threw the rock at the freshman who fell over once hit.

 

**_2017-09-23   09:15:23A_ **

Grimhilde was lying on her bed, mentally going over what she had to fix during her five minute break in the bathroom. Apparently the government had been keeping a close eye on her during her imprisonment and were pleased to know that she had been well behaved. Well, more well behaved than other villains. Which made sense of course because Grimhilde was not a villain. (Not in her mind anyway.) The less well behaved villains were treated to a trip to The Doctors. Grimhilde couldn’t be bothered to worry- or even care -about them. Right now she needed to think of what she needed to fix during her bathroom break. She hoped the guards would give her at least some foundation, mascara, and concealer. Oh God, all the guards were male. What if they saw her without makeup? Grimhilde was going to be sick. She could not be caught with her guard down.

 

**_Spring, 1994_ **

Grimhilde brushed her cheeks with foundation. The lighting in the backroom was dimmer than the light on stage but she hoped that her makeup would look good. The prize for the beauty pageant was thirty grand- more than enough money to move her beauty salon into a classier location. Grimhilde had dreamed about a day her small little salon would become a household name, an empire that would withstand time. She would befriend all the rich clients who would set her up with a very rich man. They would live together and have servants and room full of mirrors. She worked hard to take the steps that would make sure she could get that done. Now that she’s got an opportunity to move into a place better than the one she has now and she will not ruin it.

 

“Hey G,” The girl sitting next to her leaned over “Can I borrow your makeup wipes?”

 

Grimhilde smiled at the girl- she cannot glare because ladies do not glare- and told her, “No.”

 

The girl made a face and back away. Grimhilde eyed the girl up and down. Curly hair, dark skin, and a gap between her teeth. Whatever-her-name-was was not going to beat her. Grimhilde smiled at her reflection. Straight hair, light skin, and perfect teeth. There was no way she was going to lose. She blew a kiss to her reflection and got up. Her dainty feet fit perfectly into her six inch heels.

 

Grimhilde strut confidently to her place in line- the front. Everyone paid attention to the first girl who walked out and everyone else forgot about everyone else in line. The only other good spot was last in line- but there was no way she was going to let these ugly bitches get the limelight before her. As she was walking she recognized a man in front of her. He was about ten or twenty years older than her, dark hair, sharp jawline, not lacking in the looks department. He wasn’t quite Luke Perry but he was close to Mario Lopez- minus the muscle. His watch looked expensive and that suit looked equally so.

 

A thought floated into Grimhilde’s brain- if she married up, she could live the dream through him. He certainly had the looks to guarantee her an attractive child. But hopefully she would never reach the point where she would need a baby trap. But that is a problem she could think of in the future. For now she just need to get his attention… He was reading off a piece of paper. Perfect.

 

Grimhilde walked confidently towards the man but while she passed by him, her ankle twisted so she fell into him. The man dropped his paper and caught the beautiful woman in his arms.

 

“Oh my,” Grimhilde blushed and battered her eyes. “I am so sorry.” He helped her stand up right and she smoothed her dress and checked for any tears. She paid a pretty penny for this dress so she’s better not have any.

 

“You would think after years of being in a beauty pageant I’d get used to walking in heels, right?” _Keep the conversation light. Use some humor. Reel him in with some charm._ “I’m Grimhilde by the way. Sorry for crashing into you.”

 

“I’m Leo, nice to meet you.” He held his hand out and she accepted it. “Say, did you go to Auradon Prep?”

 

“Yeah,” She smiled “What gave it away?”

 

“Other than your beauty? Probably your nails. My cousins went there and they would talk about your nails all the time.”

 

“Wow,” She looked at her nails- blue coffin nails with rhinestones and glitter. “I never knew these were so praiseworthy.” She lied and smiled again.

 

“I’m no nail expert but even I’m impressed.”

 

Grimhilde smiled and was about to thank him until a voice interrupted them.

 

“Grimhilde! The curtain goes up in ten minutes! Get in place!” The voice screamed.

 

“I guess that’s my cue,” She smiled at him again. “Again, so sorry about crashing into you.”

 

“It’s no big deal,” Leo scoffed. “And think of it this way-  if you hadn’t crashed into me, I never would have built up the courage to talk to you.”

 

“Daddy! The show’s about to start.” A little voice called out to Leo. Both parties turned around to see a little girl running towards him. _Daddy? Is he married? I can work with that…_ Grimhilde thought looking for a ring. _Though it seems like he’s not married anymore. Well that’s one thing out of my way._ Grimhilde looked at the little girl’s dress which was bright and clashed with the little girl’s skin tone. _I can work with this, I’m good with kids. That poor girl needs me help anyway._ The little girl stopped in front of them and her eyes went wide at the sight of Grimhilde’s nails. “I like your nails miss!”

 

“Oh thank you,” She bent down so she could see the little girl face-to-face. “I own a salon, maybe your father here could take you there some time?” Grimhilde looked up to Leo with a smile.

 

“Can I Daddy?” The little girl asked excitedly with her hands clasped together.

 

“Yeah can she Daddy?” Grimhilde asked in a teasing voice and batted eyes.

 

“I’m sure we can make the time.” Leo smiled.

 

**_2017-09-23   11:07:26A_ **

Jafar was in his cell, sitting on his bed and staring at the ceiling. He had given up screaming at the guards and was using this moment to let himself rest up. Age was getting to him, he could no longer fight back like he used to. How Jafar missed the good old days when he was young and had powers. The weight of his ankle monitor seemed heavier than usual. _This is overkill,_ Jafar thought to himself _There is a barrier around this prison that drains us of our powers yet they still deem it necessary to keep these god forsaken things on us._ Jafar may act a fool nowadays but he could still wise enough to know when the chips were down. The shift in the air from when he was outside to inside was almost palpable. He could taste the loss of any sort of power in the air. Back in that neighborhood those bastards stuck him in, at least he could dream of using his powers- maybe even use them before he could get shocked- but in here? There was no room for hope. This wasn’t Jafar’s first rodeo, he was in prison once so he knew he had a long night ahead of him. He lied down on his thin mattress. Jafar stared at the video monitor in the corner of his room to assert his dominance.

 

**_Summer, 1970_ **

Jafar stared at his reflection in the mirror. His hair was slicked back and his suit was lint free. He looked professional. He _had_ to look professional. This was going to be his first ever legitimate job interview and he knew he couldn’t return to a life of crime. He just couldn’t. It took him a long time to gain membership with the Snakes but it took him even longer to get out. He couldn’t get out of a gang just to go back to a life of crime. He had to be good. To prove to himself- and anyone that ever doubted him- that he could be good.

 

Jafar was sure his twin sister, Nasira, pulled a lot of strings to grant him an interview with CEO Hamed Bobolonius. Hamed Bobolonius was a Syrian immigrant who built a multimillion dollar company from the ground up. Jafar and Nasira grew up with him as their role model. He meant so much to the twins. Jafar could not let Nasira down. He had to get a job working for Hamed, not just for himself but for Nasira as well. Nasira had done so much for him the past year- got him out of the gang he was in, took him into her home, worked three jobs to keep the two of them afloat, and got him a job interview at a prestigious sales company- so he could not let her down. Jafar hated owing a debt to his sister. It was his turn to be the provider in their family now. Once he gets his paycheck the both of them will move out of the ghetto they call home and into a house that doesn’t have mold and leakages. His house would be big and clean and all his own. Nasira would live in the house down the street.

 

“Today will be a good day.” He told himself with a smile. “A good salesman never leaves home without a suit. A _great_ salesman never leaves home without a smile.”

 

Jafar glanced at the clock and smiled at his reflection once again. He left his small apartment and made his way to the subway. It was a lengthy ride from his neighborhood to the business center of their city but it was somewhat enjoyable. Jafar liked the subway more than he did walking around the city because for once he could stop and take a breath. He could watch the businessman argue on the phone about his expensive divorce, the aspiring musician giving a free show to passengers, the person who should be in bed drinking chicken soup clear a crowd. If he saw these people on the streets, he wouldn’t see them. Not really. If he were walking down the street he wouldn’t see the sweaty palms of the business man, or the expensive watch the musician wore, or the barely there smirk of the sick person who now had seat all to himself.

 

The walk to Jafar’s interview was a long one. The city seemed to contain a million people, all of whom were walking in the opposite direction as Jafar. Everyone was pushing and shoving, running and walking too slow. It was a mess of people attempting to put a damper on Jafar’s day. But, luckily, Jafar managed to arrive at the tall building about ten minutes ahead of schedule with a smile. He walked confidently to the lady at the front desk.

 

“Mr. Jobrani?” She asked while looking at a piece of paper. Jafar nodded his head and smiled kindly at the lady. “Mr. Bobolonius is on his lunch break. He’ll be back soon. Feel free to wait right there.” She gestured to seats in front of her.

 

Two hours passed had passed until Jafar was finally able to meet with Mr. Bobolonius.

 

**_2017-09-23   12:23:13A_ **

Cruella was strapped down to the table. It was hard to tell where she was. Everything was blurry and bright yet clear and dark at the same time. Sounds entered her ears strained and unrefined. Whoever brought her here forced her to swallow a pill that made her tongue heavy and numb. The only thing she could rely on was her sense of touch but that did not do much when one was strapped down to a table. The room smelled sterilized but overwhelmingly so. _Those bastards better not have put me in a hospital._ Cruella thought angrily. _I can’t stand hospitals._

 

**_Summer, 1992_ **

“Are you coming to the _thing_ tonight?” Asked a bubbly 17 year old Cruella de Vil. She was taller than most girls her age, though that may be because she always insisted on wearing shoes that give her extra height. For example, right now she was wearing kitten heels despite only being at the mall. Her best friend, Anita Demain, worked at one of the stores there. Cruella used the excuse of visiting her to go shopping around the store. Sometimes Cruella wondered why the two of them were friends. The two couldn’t look more different- she favored the same color scheme while Anita enjoyed mixing it up. Today was the perfect example- Cruella was wearing a matching plaid blazer and miniskirt with a red button down top that matched her shoes. Her hair was in box braids with a few red ribbons intertwined in it. Anita on the other hand was wearing a pink, floral hijab, ripped jeans, a plain black shirt, and pink ballet shoes. Sometimes Cruella felt that Anita paled in comparison to Cruella and her trendy, cool style. But Cruella hung out with her anyway because of all her friend’s great ideas (like for homework and projects for example).

 

“Come on Anita, it was _your_ idea to go check out the _thing_ ,” She whispered the last part and she leaned over closer to her friend. “Besides, you had fun last time.”

 

“I don’t know, my dad might want me to watch my brother tonight.” Anita told her. She did have fun last time, not as much as Cruella did, but fun nonetheless. Anita had dragged Cruella to a sort of seminar about turning Civilians into Supers through science. Taking the whole of humanity to the next level of evolution. Anita was curious about the subject while Cruella was rather passive about the subject.(“Just another crazy piggybacking on the idea of Transhumanism,” she claimed) The speaker was Buddy Pines, a college student with a biomechanics degree, and by the end of his speech, Cruella was more in love with the subject than Anita was. Buddy spoke about how the age of natural heroes was paving the way for advances in science and technology. That one day everyone would have a power and that there would be no more ‘special’ people in this world. Anita felt that he was charming but too focused on himself. But that’s what Cruella liked about him- his confidence. Who would have thought the fashionista would have loved the Transhumanism movement?

 

“Come on Neets, please?” Cruella begged, giving her puppy eyes. “It won’t be as much fun.”

 

“Fine,” She gave in with a coy smile. “But I’m driving.” It is a wonder that she has not been killed by Cruella’s driving yet.

 

“Excuse me? I passed my driver’s test!”

 

“Barely.” Anita scoffed. Cruella gave her a light punch on the shoulder.

 

“Just call your dad. Call me when you’re done, I’ll be in the food court.”

 

About half an hour later, Cruella got Anita’s call. “Hello?”

 

“I’m gonna change first, but I’ll meet you at the car okay?”

 

“Alright,” Cruella took a loud slurp of her lemonade. “See you then.”

 

Anita met Cruella at her car and Cruella threw her the keys. “Don’t hurt my baby okay?” She pouted.

 

“You’re more likely to hurt ‘your baby’ than I am.” Anita teased as she buckled up. “Where is he hosting it? At his house?”

 

Cruella nodded. “His parents will be out of town for a bit, so we could even stay the weekend.”

 

“Very funny.”

 

One drive later, the girls pulled up to Buddy Pine’s house. A party seemed to be in full swing. Both girls could see bright lights dancing through the window with loud music vibrating the whole house. _Buddy is so lucky he lives in the middle of nowhere._ Cruella thought to herself. Anita parked the car by the curb and the two girls made their way up the driveway and to the back of the house. Both girls knew the loud party Buddy seemed to be having was just a ploy for the real party in the basement.

 

Cruella knocked on the basement door and a hatch slid open.

 

“Identification?” The person asked. Both girls held their hands up to show the wristbands they were given. The hatch closed and the door opened wide to welcome them into its world.

 

****

The guard grew tired of watching the villains after a while. They were all insane, doing the same thing over and over again without break. Gothel was alive once again which was a funny sight to see. The old (or was it young? Supers with Age Transferrals were so confusing sometimes) bat had woken up in a cell all by herself and broke down into hysterics. It was watching them that the guard was glad the government didn’t grant him immortality. Especially when villains, like Maleficent, wouldn’t stop screaming her head off like a banshee. Her screaming made him want to die and _stay dead._

 

****

 

**2017-09-24**

Maleficent was in her cell, still screaming at the guards outside her glass cell.

 

“Just you wait,” She threatened “When I get out of here I will have YOUR HEADS ON PIKES!”

 

But those guards pretended not to hear her and their face remained blank. The guard watching her from above was wondering when she would finally exhaust herself and give up. The guard smiled when the witch finally exhausted herself. Maleficent flopped on top of her bed and sighed.

 

**_Fall, 1973_ **

Maleficent couldn’t believe Adam broke up with her for a _sidekick._ A sidekick that just graduated high school at that. She was even one who seemed to want to help people. Good sidekicks seemed to take everything from her. First it was that Leah girl and now…

 

But it was fine. Now that Adam was gone and shacking up with some goody-goody she could pour more time into becoming a villain. Maleficent dedicated her time to her studies. Life didn’t seem to go her way after high school but she was getting her life back on course. She devoured every book she could get her hands on, did all the extra credit, cheated when she remembered she could do that for every assignment, and spent her extra time in the training center to practice her powers. She wrote down every little thought, every spell, and every plan in her diary.

 

“Roses are red, thorns are prickly,” Maleficent said to the rose in front of her. “Take this rose, and make it grow quickly.”

 

The rose grew and grew not stopping even after it was bigger than most rose bushes. The thorns were long and sharper than a blade. They all curled around the gym, twisting around the equipment until it was all crushed under its weight. The roses were red and beautiful but looked heavy enough to crush someone to death if it were to fall on them.

 

Maleficent marveled the growing plant in front of her. The fact it had yet to stop growing did not deter her because she was too busy creating a plan in her head. Maleficent had heard a rumour from someone that their cousin, a girl named Leah, was getting married to a guy named Stephan. Maleficent remembered those two from high school. How Lean humiliated her in front of the whole school and how her boyfriend just stood there and watched. Then Leah stole her boyfriend and Stephan dumped her the day before prom. The only good that came from that was Maleficent realizing she was not cut out to be a hero. Adam made her realze she was far better suited to being a villain. Adam may be a low life piece of shit who was clearly going through some kind of mid-life crisis (though it could be the end of his life because Maleficent was going to kill him soon) but he did help Maleficent realize her true potential. The rose in front of her was evidence of that.

 

She should probably take care of the roses before she went through with one of her many grand revenge plans first though. She couldn’t afford to look like an incompetent buffoon when she performed her magnum oppus. She would make it rain down chaos on Leah and Stephan’s wedding. The roses would impale all of their high and mighty guests. Green fire would burn the venue down. Leah’s pretty white dress would be painted with that pretty red color her blood was. Every couple wanted a fairy tale wedding after all. Maleficent’s appearance would make sure the couple would get what they wanted. But this time the villain would be the only one to make it out of that wedding alive.

 

“Stop!” Maleficent shouted at the plants in the most domineering tone she could muster. The plants obeyed and Maleficent burned them all down.

 

**2017-09-24**

Grimhilde scrubbed her body hard. She could feel the dirt entering her body through every pore. The guards watched the woman from behind their black glasses and Grimhilde wondered if she should give them a show. But she caught sight of the stretch marks on her stomach and knew that couldn’t be true. She was ugly. Being a mother had turned her into a fat mess. Grimhilde knew the risks when she made the choice to have her daughter and she loved Evie with most of her heart but Grimhilde had yet to experience any of the rewards she was promised with motherhood. She didn’t even get to accomplish her goal that pushed her to get Evie.

 

But that’s why she was pushing Evie to get a husband. Other than to pull them out of poverty, Grimhilde wanted Evie to live the life of luxury Grimhilde was used to having.

 

**_Spring, 1994_ **

Grimhilde held the sperm sample in her hands and took a deep breath. Her husband was due back within the hour so she had to make this quick. Contrary to what those country club bitches said, she was not stupid. She knew the beauty empire she created was going down. Sales had decreased slowly over the last quarter and it was only a matter of time before she went down with it. Leo was probably thinking about divorcing her to save his own skin. Grimhilde actually overheard his little conversation with his little country club buddies so her marriage was more than likely going to end in divorce. Then Grimhilde’s conversation with her mirror confirmed her fate. Leo was going to divorce her and Grimhilde would lose all her money. She could not let that happen.

 

She took deep breath. It was the only way she knew how she was going to save this marriage. She looked at her giant wedding band. It cost more than the house she grew up in. A gold circle with a diamond surrounded by rubies. It was an heirloom and Leo would want it back after the divorce. It was too pretty to let go. It was the first thing she ever owned that was as pretty as her. She couldn’t give it up.

 

But- Grimhilde remembered the time her mom was pregnant with her siblings. Pregnancy would result in stretch marks and fatness. Thick fingers would be too big for that pretty ring of hers. She would have weird cravings and fart a lot. She wouldn’t be able to sleep properly and would be peeing all the time. She would throw up all the time and oh god, the birthing process. Her vagina would never look the same again. But she would have to tough it out. Tough times called for tough measures. And before she could change her mind, she shoved the sperm into herself. Suddenly someone knocked on the door. She jumped but was quick to calm herself.

 

“One minute please!” Grimhilde called out trying to get herself comfortable. It was a weird sensation to get used to, she had never used a tampon before but this is probably what it felt like. A slimy, liquid tampon. She let out a little groan and stood up right. _Maybe I should do a headstand to make sure it gets in there._ She thought. _Yeah, I’ll let gravity do my job._ Grimhilde opened the door to reveal Maria, her fifteen year old step daughter. Maria had grown into such a pretty young lady, not at all like the little runt she used to look like before. Maria was tall, elegantly built with fair skin. She kept her dark hair short much to Grimhilde’s dismay, but short hair accentuated her high cheek bones.

 

“I’m going to be in my room,” Grimhilde said, more to herself than to her step-daughter.

 

“Tina said dinner will be ready in half an hour so don’t take a nap, ‘kay?” Maria said as she shut the door.

 

“Of course.” Grimhilde responded weakly. She tried to calm herself down- stress is bad for her skin and for her baby- with some herbal tea from the kitchen. Her plan had better work.

 

 **2017-09-24** **_14:27:32B_ **

Jafar chewed his plain bread on his cot. It was terrible but nothing he wasn’t used to after nearly twenty years of living in his neighborhood. _“Bad things seem to come in twenties,”_ Jafar mused as he tried to remove the bread from his teeth. _“My son is almost twenty.”_ Jafar thought in realization.

 

It was weird to think of his son nearing his twenties. It seemed like yesterday he was just starting his after school job for him. Jay would one day be moving out and doing his own thing under his own roof. Jafar couldn’t wait for that day. Once his son turned eighteen, he would be kicked out of the house and his room would be turned into another shop room. Maybe put a shop in there or something. Jay could work there if he wanted but as long as he lived in his own place. Jafar was so tired of pretending to care for his son. Food and clothing for the both of them took too much out of the budget. Jafar longed for the days when he could be selfish. He could finally do things for himself. He had spent his life watching over people and waiting for them to get out of his hair.

 

**_Summer, 1990_ **

Jafar was bored of this event. It was another company party with the same dull food, same dull people, and same dull music as the same last twenty years. But he hoped it would be worth it. After twenty years of being an assistant for Mr. Bobolonius, the fruit of his labors may finally be paying off. He had told Jafar in confidence that he would be retiring soon and he had a surprise for Jafar. Jafar hoped it was finally a promotion or higher wages. Mostly for a promotion though. He had been asking for those things for a while now and Mr. Bobolonius always told him he would take it into consideration.

 

 _This is my chance to get out of that god forsaken neighborhood,_ Jafar thought to himself as Mr. Bobolonius stepped on stage.

 

“Ladies and gentlemen,” The old man started, “When I was a young man I dreamed of standing where I do today. But with the long hours of hard work, I never thought my dreams would come to fruition. But look at me today- I have an empire, a family, and friends who have loved and supported me my entire life.” His family raised their glasses in gratitude. “But today marks the end of an era. I must live another dream I longed for as a middle aged man- retirement!” The crowd hung their mouths in shock. Jafar stared at these lowly peasants with a smirk. “But you need not to worry. I have the man for the job!”

 

Jafar put his glass down and straightened his suit. “Please give a round of applause to my son, Hamed Bobolonius II- he will be taking over my position!”

 

The crowd cheered for the portly man who walked onto the stage. Jafar recognized him from picture frames and dinners with the family. Hamed II never stepped foot in the company during Jafar’s time. He was always goofing off, never taking the time to take things seriously. Mr. Bobolonius was always taking his son out of debt and wasting money on his trivial pursuits. Even his daughter, Jasmine, was a better fit for CEO. She had degrees in business and interned at the company. She even interned anonymously so she wouldn’t get her family’s help. They caught her a week later of course but it was still the effort she put into it that counted. Jasmine worked hard to mold herself into becoming a better business man than her grandfather. Jafar wouldn’t even he offended if she made the leap from intern to CEO because _at least she deserved it._

 

 _“And that fool is going to be leading this company? Over me?”_ Jafar thought to himself hotly. He excused himself from the table and walked to the bathrooms. After making sure he was in there all alone, he splashed water into his face. He had to make sure he wasn’t stuck in some nightmare. _This can’t be happening._ He thought to himself. “ _I have worked at this company for over twenty years and have had nothing to show for my loyalty and hard work.”_ Jafar leaned against sink and took in some breaths. Jafar stared at his reflection. He was better than this fool and he would prove it. He calculated a plan in his head but first he would need some help.

 

In a puff of smoke, Jafar was in front of his old gang’s headquarters. It was a club with neon flames. The loud music of the club could be heard from the outside but there was no chatter of any party goers so the loud music only served to make it seem more empty than what it was supposed to be.

 

When Jafar walked into the establishment he was greeted by the new leader of the Snakes. A boy shorter than Jafar walked up to him demanding to know his business. He had dark skin, long hair in a neat braid, nimble fingers that were perfect for theft, and eyes that knew Jafar didn’t belong in this part of town.

 

Within two minutes Jafar had a team ready to take down Mr. Bobolonius’s entire empire. Jafar explained his predicament to the boys. He told them that he was wronged by a very rich man, and that if he had their help, they would get a large sum of that man’s fortune.

 

Within one minute the boy named Aladdin was his partner. He insisted on being a ‘he’ and nearly punched Jafar when he called him a ‘she’. Rather than being defensive or disgusted by this, Jafar praised Aladdin for his wild energy and welcomed the partnership between them. _This boy would be a useful scapegoat in case this goes wrong,_ Jafar thought.

 

The following twenty-four hours of the party marked the start of the empire Hamed Bobolonius had created with his bare hands beginning to crumble to the ground.

 

 **2017-09-24** **_14:27:32B_ **

Cruella was drinking the slush the orderly gave her through a tube. But she kept her mouth shut. She hoped she would catch these flies with the honey she was giving them. She wanted her furs and some good food. Hopefully these fools would be able to give her one or the other before long. Maleficent was going to break out of this place soon and Cruella didn’t want to kill all of the orderlies. It would take too long. But if none of them were nice to her, then she could live with killing all of them.

 

**_Winter, 1995_ **

Cruella’s body tensed as she felt the cold metal slide into her. It was more awkward than the X-Ray hovering over her stomach. Today was the day she was going to secure a legacy. She hoped she would be anyway. She was Buddy’s first test subject and although it passed its test with the mice and dogs, no one knew how it would affect humans.

 

“Cruella, my right hand woman, are you sure you want this?” Buddy asked her as he checked the screen next to him. She nodded. “I know you know what you’re doing. And I know that you know that I would be able to take you in a fight if you mess this up.” The crowd around her laughed at her joke.

 

“It’s funny cause it’s true,” Anita said as she held her friend’s hand. Anita was the only person Cruella was fine with watching her do this procedure. Everyone was watching for spectator’s sport or for science but Anita was only there to hold her hand. And maybe watch a little because after Cruella, it was her turn for the procedure.

 

Buddy waved the metal pole around in Cruella. “It looks like you’re completely healthy. Onto our next stage of the experiment.”

 

Buddy took the metal pole out of Cruella and placed it on the table beside him. He slipped on a new pair of gloves and grabbed a needle. Cruella squeezed Anita’s hand while Anita tried not to look in Buddy’s direction. The ceiling became a lot more fascinating because of it.

 

“I am going to insert this needle into my subject here,” Buddy addressed the crowd around him with the tone of a medical professional. “The needle will kill all of the eggs that are inferior to the rest.” As if to prove a point, Buddy stuck the needle into Cruella. “Now as the eggs are killed off, I will then insert my own special formula into the subject. Mirage?” The hologram handed him a syringe. Buddy held it up.

 

“This will ‘splice up the egg’ for lack of a better term. Any remaining eggs will have their uglier traits taken away from them and replaced with a serum.” Buddy took the needle out of Cruella and inserted the syringe to drain it of its liquid. “It was tiny robots that will show us what traits they see and I will have the option of deleting it from my device.” A window popped up and everyone was treated to a view of Cruella’s eggs. Some of the eggs had some of Buddy’s robots attached to it.

 

Buddy pressed a few buttons and a different window popped up. “This is a screen for this particular egg’s traits. We can see all the traits it will soon possess when it becomes a baby. Cruella, since you are the mother, would you like to choose the traits for your future child? I have already programmed my robots to keep any signs of intelligence for the egg so you don’t need to worry about that.”

 

“Hmmm…” Buddy scrolled through the list of traits. “I don’t want my kid to have dark hair or dark skin.” Cruella told him and Buddy quickly deleted the traits. “Keep the strong immune system, strong bones, and speed part, but delete the strength. No child of mine will look like one of those _heroes._ ” No one in the room liked heroes. All of them tried to help them with their newfound powers but the heroes rebuffed them. They didn’t want a person with _artificial_ powers to get in the way of their glory. “I think that will be it. Whoever this egg’s father will be can decide on the rest of the traits.”

 

“Do you have someone in mind?” Anita asked. They haven’t talked about their crushes lately. Or much of anything in awhile. Cruella would like to blame it on the fact the went to different colleges but she knew that wasn’t why.

 

“Usher.”

 

“Good luck getting that to happen,” Buddy joked.

 

“It could happen,” Cruella said.

 

“Keep dreaming,” Anita said and Cruella felt like it was just the three of them in the room. Just the three of them having a laugh like the good old days.

 

Buddy clicked on some other things on the screen. “I will actually add on to that hair thing and make sure its hair is always flawless. Make sure it’s full of body at all times.”

 

Anita eyed Buddy’s sundae shaped hair. “I wonder where you got that idea from,” She said in a deadpan voice before bursting into laughter. Buddy laughed too before getting back to the business at hand.

 

“Would you like me to apply these to all the eggs?” He asked Cruella.

 

“Yeah, I guess we can’t take the risk,” Cruella responded. Buddy applied this to the rest of the robots.

 

****

Another guard took over the surveillance position in the security room. It was his least favorite part of the job, preferring to watch the villains in person but someone had to do it. On the plus side, it was the last thing he had to do that day before going home. The guard couldn’t wait to see his wife and kids. If they were getting money, he could live with his shitty job. Just four more hours.

 

****

 

**2017-09-24   12:16:35C**

Maleficent scratched her arms harshly. The prison required uniforms were so uncomfortable, Maleficent felt herself longing for her the familiar feeling of leather on her skin. Her daughter was supposed to be getting her hands on that wand but was taking her sweet time. If Maleficent had to get out of here and get her powers back herself, she was going to give Mal the punishment of a lifetime. Even her old minions wouldn’t disappoint her this much.

 

**_Summer, 1975_ **

Maleficent peeked through the blinds to the view below her. Leah’s wedding seemed to be going along swimmingly. The pale pink flowers looked perfect against the white silk, the pews were shining with a fresh layer of wax, and the fairy lights strung above the seating area. Maleficent once wished for a garden wedding like this one once. But, no time to think of that right now.

 

Maleficent tore herself away from the window to yell at her minions. Minions were like sidekicks but better because you could hit them. “Are you in your places?”

 

The green skinned one stood in front of her in a salute. “Yes, ma’am.” Maleficent strut past him.

 

“Good,” She said and spun around. “Minions!” She addressed them and stood on the table.

 

“I have been planning this for years and today is the day! I face my arch-enemy today! You have all been a part of this journey for revenge and I could not make it without you.” Maleficent spoke proudly. “But just know, if anything were to go wrong during my quest for revenge, I will eliminate you.”

 

Her henchmen clapped and cheered for her. When the clapping ceased, the one looking out the window called out. “The heroes are in position ma’am!” The couple were sharing their first kiss as man and wife looking perfectly in love. Their family and friends were all clapping in celebration.

 

“Wonderful. Wish me luck,” Maleficent spun around and grew a pair of leathery wings.

 

“Be ready for the signal,” She called them before running out the window. She flew down to the middle of the aisle. Her black and purple wings covered her body before disappearing to reveal her smiling face with her arms stretched out.

 

Maleficent was wearing a leather long sleeve purple dress with high slits on both sides. Under it was black leather pants with a scale pattern on it. Her horns had grown bigger since the last time they saw her as well. She oozed power and darkness.

 

“And they lived happily ever after!” She cackled. The couple broke apart. Stephan jumped in front of his wife to protect her. Maleficent’s wings disappeared but it did not make her presence any less terrifying.

 

“Remember when we thought we would have a wedding like this, Stephan?” Maleficent said walking up the aisle slowly. She ran her fingers through the white flowers on the pews which all began to grow larger and larger. “Though I think these flowers could be a lot bigger.”

 

“Remember when I took you in, Leah?” Maleficent was right at the foot of the steps. “I helped you survive Auradon.”

 

“Why are you here Maleficent?” Leah called out.

 

“Why are you so surprised? Is it because you neglected to invite me?” Maleficent took one step up the stairs.

 

“Maleficent, if you leave now we won’t hurt you.”

 

Maleficent laughed. “Ha, as if you could hurt me.” She faced her audience with her hands raised. The flowers that had yet to stop growing since they were touched by Maleficent now shot up. The thorns filled the garden venue and some guests were crushed under its weight, others were impaled. Those who were able to get away tried to either fly or break the doors. Luckily Maleficent passed Villainous Planning in college. Her henchmen shot their freeze ray at the flying guests and blocked the doors. Everyone was trapped inside.

 

“Maleficent what do you want?” Stephan screamed.

 

“Revenge.” She responded simply. Maleficent transformed into a dragon and stared down at the small couple in front of her. She smiled, baring all her teeth. She opened her mouth, ready to hurl a fireball at them. But before she could do that, one of her minions fell on her. Maleficent looked at her pink skinned sidekick on the ground.

 

“What the-?” Maleficent’s unsaid question was answered when a loud caw was heard. She looked to the sky to find a large falcon with a woman riding him flying towards her. The woman jumped off the bird’s back and landed on a branch. The falcon morphed into an elephant and cannonballed into Maleficent. She staggered back a bit but once she regained her balance she saw her opponent.

 

“Adam,” She narrowed her eyes at her ex in his human form. Adam was dressed in his superhero suit, a blue sleeveless leather suit with stripes on the side. Maleficent had to admit, he looked good.

 

“It’s the Beast now!” He hollered back as she walked closer to him. “And you have to stop this madness.”

 

Maleficent simply laughed, “How creative!”

 

She blew fire at the Super who jumped out of the way just in time. She kept blowing fire at the man creating a trail of green fire around the garden. But Maleficent knew she wasn’t going to win this way. She morphed back into her human form and created a ball of energy in her hands. Beast now transformed into a buffalo and charged towards her. Maleficent hurled the ball at him but it was deflected by a shield someone threw. Maleficent looked in the direction the shield came in and smiled.

 

“Nice of you to join the party _sidekick._ ” Maleficent sneered. Belle practically growled at her.

 

“I’m a Hero! My name is Beauty!” Belle screamed at the villain.

 

“That’s awfully cocky of you,” Maleficent teased before throwing green lightning at her. Luckily for Beauty’s shield arrived in front of her just in time to deflect the lightning. Beast jumped over Beauty and tackled Maleficent, pinning her to the ground.

 

“Oooh I remember this, Beastie Boy. If you wanted me back you should have just said something,” She smirked. Beast shot her a disgusted look and she turned into a cloud of smoke but not before shooting him a sly smile.

 

Maleficent appeared on the top on the highest thorn branch with a bow. “I’m glad you came to my first act. Don’t worry Leah,” She waved at the bride, “I’ll be back.” She pretended to check her watch. “I’d love to stick around and watch the chaos but I have some place to be. Ta!”

 

With a theatrical spin she turned into a dragon and flew away from the chaos she created.

 

**2017-09-24    03:45:16C**

Grimhilde laid on her bed with a thin blanket over her. Her thoughts ran wild with various topics like makeup and clothes but her mind always went back to her daughter. She hoped Evie was well and still beautiful. The guards refused to say a word to her about her daughter or any hint of her whereabouts. Grimhilde hoped that wherever that girl was at, she had some foundation on. And a shower.

 

**_Summer, 1994_ **

Grimhilde was glad she came from such good genetics that she didn’t have to worry about getting to fat. Grimhilde’s stomach had yet to show any evidence of a child but she knew a child in there. Grimhilde hoped for a daughter, one she could teach and dress but Grimhilde also knew it was more realistic to have a boy. A boy would be first to inherit everything and were much easier to manipulate.

 

Leo took the news rather well, he was angry at first but soon came to think of his new child as a blessing. In fact, he and Maria had gone to the store to get some baby clothes. Grimhilde had chosen to stay home and pretend to read baby books.

 

“Not like I’m going to be holding this kid anyway,” Grimhilde said tossing the book aside. “We have nannies for that.”

 

“We’re home!” Maria called out. Grimhilde walked down the marble steps pretending to look as delicate as possible. Maria had some shopping bags she held triumphantly over her head. Leo was behind her with more bags in his hands.

 

“That’s a lot of presents for the baby,” Grimhilde said.

 

“Yeah,” Leo kissed her cheek, “Maria went a little wild with the credit card.”

 

“Really?” Grimhilde knew it was irrational to be jealous of her unborn baby but the baby was getting more than she ever had even as an adult. At least the shopping sprees for the baby is a good sign she is still in their good graces. But she would still like to go on a shopping spree for her ever growing belly.

 

“Don’t worry,” Leo leaned in to whisper into Grimhilde’s ear, “I’m returning most of them back later.”

 

Maria, who was sitting on the couch, held up a baby blue onesie with a crown on it. Grimhilde smiled in approval. She taught that girl well.

 

“I wanna keep that one,” Grimhilde said. Leo rolled his eyes with a smile.

 

“You two are too much alike,” Leo said walking to his home office.

 

“Maria, why don’t you go put the clothes away?” Grimhilde asked kindly, “I’ll take you homecoming shopping when you’re done.”

 

“Okay,” Maria said cheerfully and ran up to the baby’s future room. Grimhilde grabbed the apple juice from the kitchen counter top and drank it down the hallway. She could probably convince Leo into giving her some money for a new maternity dress. If her baby was going to make her fat she might as well look hot as well.

 

“Leo…” Grimhilde said in a sing song voice as she opened her husband’s door. “Can Maria and I go to the mall? She needs a dress for homecoming and my dresses are getting a little tight for me.”

 

Leo was busy writing down some reports and his paper were scattered all over his desk. Grimhilde hated the mess but she never spent too much time in Leo’s office so she didn’t complain about it too much.

 

“Yeah, yeah,” The phone rang making him lose his train of thoughts. “Uh, take the towncar. Hello, this is Leo Blanco.”

 

Grimhilde left without another word to check up on Maria in the baby’s room. Besides her own room, Grimhilde liked the baby’s room the best. It was the only room in the mansion that Grimhilde decorated all by herself. It was a light blue room (because the baby was hopefully a boy and it was Grimhilde’s favorite color) with gold moldings. A pure white wooden crib was on the left side of the room with a bird mobile above it. The changing table was next to it and a pile of stuffed toys next to that. Grimhilde’s favorite stuffed toy was a blue peacock with a red jewel on its forehead. Her favorite part of the room, however, was a lace styled square mirror on the opposite side of the crib. As far as Leo knew, Grimhilde’s only power was being able to look through mirrors which she was glad for. He doesn’t need to know about her poison generation.

 

When Grimhilde opened the door, Maria was on the carpet in the middle of the room with the baby clothes around her. Some of them were folded in the clothing drawers already which was bizarre to the step mother because they already had a maid to do that.

 

“Your dad said we can take the towncar,” Grimhilde said with a kind smile. Maria jumped up and ran down the stairs.

 

When they got to the mall Maria raced to the dress boutique. Her other friends were already there, trying on their own dresses. By the time Grimhilde got there, Maria was trying on a sparkly blue dress and talking to her friends.

 

“Are you sure you’re getting the everything? What about your stepmom?” Asked a girl in a ruffled purple dress.

 

“My step mom?” Maria laughed a bit too snootily for Grimhilde’s liking. “Yeah there’s no way she’s getting anything.”

 

“What?” Grimhilde whispered to herself from behind the wall. Were they talking about the inheritance? “No. I am not going to go through labor so that girl is not going to get that whole fortune for herself.”

 

If Grimhilde arrived only moments earlier, she would have known the girls were talking about getting a birthday present for Leo’s birthday. But she didn’t and unknown to Maria, Grimhilde was formulating a plan to get rid of her and have the fortune for the baby and most importantly, herself.

 

**2017-09-24    03:36:17C**

Jafar let the water run all over his body. The water was able to take away the stress and dirt Jafar didn’t know he had. The fact the shower he was in had germs all over the floor, mold growing in corner, and cracked tiles didn’t deter him. Probably for the first time in days, Jafar was able to relax. But, of course this being prison and all, Jafar’s peace didn’t last long.

 

“Alright, time’s up,” Grumbled a guard who held out a towel for Jafar. He took it, letting the brown towel dry his body. When he got out of this place he was going to get a hot, _private_ shower.

 

**_Winter, 1991_ **

Jafar was getting tired of this job. Hamed never did any of the work the _CEO_ was supposed to do, instead dumping all of it onto his employees. _“I don’t get paid enough for this,”_ Jafar thought glumly as he signed another work form about something or the other. All the papers looked the same.

 

The heist was taking longer than expected and he didn’t know if that was because of the security on this place or because Aladdin was getting sidetracked. Aladdin applied as a new intern, under the name Al Hadad, for the business with Jafar’s recommendation. He was supposed to be at Jafar’s beck and call but all Aladdin seemed interested in was Jasmine. In fact, Aladdin flirting with Jasmine again. He thought they had a job to do. A job that didn’t mention _flirting_. But Aladdin was the best thief Jafar knew so this had to be part of the method Aladdin created for himself. Jafar’s phone rang.

 

“It’s Scheherazade,” The smooth voice on the other side said. Scheherazade was another Snake who was posing as Jafar’s assistant after Hamed II stole his first one. Jafar liked Scheherazade for her smooth voice and grifting skills. Jafar thought that her skill level was of a much higher caliber than what the Snakes deserved but he was glad to have met her.

 

“Talk to me,” Jafar said.

 

“The assistants were gossiping and I was able to find out that Bobolonius’s family was leaving for their private island next weekend,” She spoke.

 

“Yes I know, I was invited to go with them,” Jafar said in a bored tone.

 

“Well,” Jafar could tell she was smiling as she spoke. “Did you know that the island is completely deprived of any sort of contact with the outside world? They don’t even have powers on the island.”

 

“How do you know?”

 

“Bobolonius has no plans for the next week. He’s gonna drop all the work on you,.”

 

Jafar looked at all the paperwork on his desk. He still had another pile he had to get through. “I think he already has.”

 

“I think we should strike the Wednesday after they’re gone,” Scheherazade said in a low voice. “Aladdin said the bank is always busy on Wednesday. With all the people there, he can get in and out with no problem.”

 

Jafar thought it over. “Are you sure he can be trusted?”

 

“Because of that princess he’s been with?” Scheherazade scoffed. “It’s all part of the game, J. He doesn’t get attached.”

 

Jafar doubted that very much. He saw Aladdin feed those kids whose parents were arrested, and share his food with his fellow gang members. But he had to put some faith in Aladdin, he was his only hope for revenge.

 

“Be prepared for Wednesday. And have Aladdin come to my office. I need to speak with him.” Jafar hung up without another word.

 

Jafar worked on some papers while he waited. Most of it was Hamed II’s work so Jafar had to forge most of the signatures. _This fool makes this too easy,_ Jafar thought. A knock was heard.

 

“Come in,” He called out. Aladdin came in with a neutral face.

 

“You wanted to see me?”

 

“Yeah,” Jafar turned away from the paperwork to face the young man in front of him. “I want to know where your loyalties stand.”

 

“With my gang, as it always had.” Jafar didn’t believe him.

 

“Really? Because you’ve been getting awfully close to that girl.” Jafar pointed his pen at Jasmine who was talking with Scheherazade.

 

“I’m not,” Aladdin argued. “Just because you’ve never charmed a woman doesn’t mean you should get jealous.”

 

 _Deflecting, interesting. I’ll trap him in the bank later._ “Very well. We’re going to the bank next Wednesday, be prepared.”

 

“Is that it?”

 

“Why so antsy?” Jafar asked with a raised brow. “Somewhere to go?”

 

“It’s my lunch break, I’m going to the Panera across the street.”

 

“Well then,” Jafar returned to his paperwork. “Get going.”

 

Aladdin left without another word.

**2017-09-24   05:17:37C**

Cruella was dozing off as the doctors monitored her vitals.

 

“Steady heartbeat…” The doctor wrote down.

 

“Neets, where’s my fur?” Cruella mumbled. “Buddy can you find her?”

 

“Okay Cruella,” The doctor responded monotonously, jotting down her status.

 

**_Fall, 1997_ **

Cruella walked out of the fashion house she interned at. She was well into her early twenties and her style had toned down since her teens. She was a professional after all. She wore a white pencil skirt with a slit up the side, a red V-neck tank top, a cheetah print ascot scarf, and white kitten heels with red tips. She spun on her heel so she could face the building and take in all its marvel.

 

She took in a deep sigh and smiled at the marvel in front of her. “One day this will be all yours’, Cruella. One day.” She told herself.

 

She would be the pinnacle of success. She would wear fur coats that would weigh her down, she would have shoes with the sharpest heels, jewelry would adorn her body, and leather gloves so she would never have to touch a single poor person again. She would drink the finest of wines and smoke the richest cigarettes. She would be the face of glamour and luxury, of fashion and finer living. It was the life Cruella dreamed of deserved.

 

Her new ‘cell phone’ rang, breaking her out of her thoughts. She answered it with a professional sounding voice and made her way to Anita’s apartment.

 

“Hello, Cruella de Ville speaking.”

 

“Cruella, it’s Buddy,” The voice on the other side greeted. “Listen do you have time to take a quick pitstop at my place today?”

 

“Is it finished?”

 

“Yes, and trust me you are going to love it.”

 

“I’m on my way right now,” Cruella said as she headed in the opposite direction.

 

“Don’t keep me waiting too long,” Buddy said in a low voice before hanging up. Cruella called Anita.

 

“Hello?”

 

“Hey Neets,’’ Cruella greeted “Listen, I’m gonna need a raincheck on our dinner with Roger tonight. Something came up at work that I can’t get out of.”

 

“Oh well can you come over after you’re done? It’s really important.” Anita begged.

 

“I’ll see what I can do but don’t hold your breath okay?”

 

“I’ll be waiting,” Anita told her before hanging up.

 

Buddy Pines lived on two blocks away from Anita which wasn’t bad considering the blocks were huge and the city was even bigger. Anita hated Buddy Pines when she was a junior in college when he caught her shoes on fire during one of his demonstrations. She called him a ‘cocky asshole’ in front of the entire room and he banned her from ever stepping foot near him again. It wasn’t an unexpected outburst. Every member of the Transhumanist movement knew Anita was having a hard time adjusting to her newfound powers and was going to snap at any moment. Cruella stuck around because she loved her powers. That action caused a rift between the two friends for a bit but they were still close.

 

Cruella did grow closer to Buddy after Anita left though. She was grateful for her ‘power of persuasion.’ She had no idea why Buddy thought she should have that particular power especially considering other people, like Anita, got more mundane powers like magnetism or flight. Buddy said it was because she was special. Cruella felt that is was more along the lines of him being sweet on her. Not that Cruella minded. Buddy had made it _big_ after graduating college- he owned his own company, made his own inventions, had a private island, and a best selling novel encouraging Civilians to follow their dreams. He owned his own floor of the building he lived in.

 

The doorman tipped his hat at Cruella and opened the door for her. She walked straight to the elevator and punched the button for Buddy’s floor. When the doors opened Cruella was welcomed to the sight of five homeless men standing around in Buddy’s apartment. The fashionista stood there in shock before seeing Buddy at the side of the room.

 

“Uh Buddy,” She called out. “Who are these people?”

 

Buddy walked towards her. “I thought you would want a proper demonstration. Gentlemen!” He called out to the men in the room. “Would you please make your way to the dining room? I have prepared some food I’m sure you will find quite pleasing.”

 

The men cleared out of the room giving Cruella and Buddy time to talk.

 

“I put a little something in the food. When they all fall, test to see if your powers can work on the unconscious.” Cruella glared at the shorter man. He was always wanting to see if her powers grew stronger like his had.

 

“I didn’t come here to be a lab rat again, Buddy. I came here for that device you said you would make for me.” She answered impatiently. She felt a headache coming on. Ever since she got her powers they’ve been becoming more frequent.

 

“All in due time, C, have some patience.” They walked into the dining room to find the fallen men. “Well looks like the little piggies couldn’t help themselves. Be a doll and see if your powers work on them.”

 

“Don’t call me ‘doll’, _Buddy,”_ She answered hotly knowing how much he hated his name. Nonetheless she did as she was told. “Stand in a line.” She commanded. They did not do precisely what she commanded, falling into a pile instead.

 

Buddy glared at the girl while using his powers of gravity manipulation to bring his invention to them. It was a pair of metal looking gloves with a bunch of glowing wires all over it. He handed her the gloves. They were a bit large for her hands and quite ugly too but Cruella never asked favors from Buddy for his taste in fashion.

 

“Try it,” He told her “Go on.”

 

She approached the pile of homeless men and placed her hand on the one on top. She waited, her hand resting on the man’s back before he started to transform. His body shook and his hair grew longer, thicker. He was soon covered in hair. His limbs began to shrink as well and before anyone could understand what was going on, his hands and feet were paws. The man was now a large dog.

 

“Oh Syndrome, I love it,” Cruella said gratefully stroking the fur with her ungloved hand.

 

“I knew you would.”

 

****

 

The guard had stopped watching the prisoners a while ago, opting to play Tetris on his phone instead. The villains were all doing the same thing anyway- yelling threats, throwing tantrums, and sleeping. All of which were annoying but ultimately harmless. He checked the time. A few more minutes until the next shift arrived. But for now, he had a high score to top on his phone.

 

****

 

**_2017-09-25     09:27:48D_ **

Maleficent found herself strapped down to yet another medical bed. She knocked herself out when she ran into her cell for the last time. Before she blacked out, however, she managed to create a crack in the glass. _Good to know I still have all my strength,_ Maleficent thought wickedly.

 

**_Winter, 1976_ **

The Museum of Super History had a medieval times exhibit on display. The display had a plethora of items from that time period but Maleficent had her eye on one display in particular. The Staff of Isobel Gowdie. It was originally a broomstick that the ‘Devil’ transmuted into the source of her power. She heard rumours that the staff only increased one’s power. She had to have her hands on it. The Staff was only second to The Wand, which had the unfortunate luck of being in the hands of some goody-goody Sidekick. Maleficent glanced up at the security cameras in the corner of the room. She took a mental count of the room as well- about twenty people in the room. She glanced at one of her henchmen who gave her a nod and spoke into a walkie talkie.

 

Maleficent tore her disguise off with a flourish. A young girl was the first to notice and screamed. The rest of the room took notice and tried to run but Maleficent’s henchmen were waiting for them at each exit. They shut the metal doors on the tourists and smiled at their frightened faces. Maleficent stepped up to the enclosed display and magicked the glass away. She held the staff in her hand, feeling the power, letting the energy rush through her. She clutched the staff and laughed. She could conquer the world with this power. But she had to start small at the moment.

 

“Divial!” She called and a raven transformed into a man kneeling in front of her. “Watch the prisoners, I have a party to get to.” Still holding the staff in her hands, the villain turned into a dragon and broke through a window.

 

It wasn’t a long flight to get to her location but she suspected the hosts were already alerted of her existence. It gave away the element of surprise but being a dragon tended to have that effect. It was good that she was excellent at improv. Maleficent turned back into a human but continued to walk up the chapel steps. It was a clear blue day with the sun shining all its light on the white chapel. The area seemed calm but Maleficent knew she shouldn’t get too cocky. But that didn’t stop her from acting like it.

 

With a gust of green magic, the chapel doors opened and Maleficent walked through with ease. She hoped they all liked her new costume, she got a new one since the last time she saw Leah and Stephan. She donned a purple and black scaled leather jumpsuit with a long velvet cape behind her. She wasn’t a huge fan of the cape at first, but she grew to love them after she realized her wings were never affected by them.

 

“I’m sorry I’m late again, Leah.” Maleficent said with a stride. The couple seemed to have learned a lesson from the last time as not a single rose was in sight. Which was fine, Maleficent brought her own.

 

“Why do you keep doing this to us?” Stephan cried as he clutched his daughter close to his chest. The baby simply cooed in response, oblivious to the chaos around her.

 

“Because it’s fun,” Maleficent said. She turned around to face the guests. “And don’t worry about calling the police.” She turned to face Stephan and Leah with a mad grin. “I already put Beast and his girl down.”

 

This statement was met with gasps and faces of horror.

 

“But on more important matters,” Maleficent said pointing at the couple. “I had people with Precognition tell me my future and they say your daughter is special.”

 

“Whatever they think she’s going to be hasn’t happened yet.” Leah said. “She’s still a baby.”

 

“Have mercy.” Stephan pleaded, holding his daughter tightly to his chest.

 

“Have mercy,” Maleficent mocked in a high voice before yelling. “Why? I’m just protecting my future. You can have another kid.”

 

“Maleficent,” A voice spoke up. All eyes fell on a petite woman dressed in blue. “Come on you can’t be this petty.”

 

“Flora?” Maleficent scoffed. “Please, I can and I will.”

 

“Be reasonable!”

 

“No,” Maleficent walked up to the family and blew the parents away with a spell. She caught the baby in her hands but immediately dropped her right. Luckily Fauna, Flora’s girlfriend, was able to catch her with her telekinesis.

 

“Seems like that daughter of yours is already posing herself as a threat,” Maleficent told the parents as she rubbed her hands. “But if I can’t kill her with my bare hands I guess I’ll have to spell her.”

 

Maleficent’s eyes flashed green as did her staff. “Aurora will grow strong and healthy as all children do. But... before the sun sets on her 16th birthday, she shall fall into an eternal sleep. Her powers will weaken and none of you will be able to save her. Then, will I be able to kill her.”

 

“This is a perversion of your powers!” Merryweather, another one of the girlfriends, screamed.

 

“And yet it is done!” Maleficent chuckled, her eyes still glowing. “Have fun living your life in paranoia Leah.” Maleficent waved good-bye and in a cloud of green smoke she disappeared.

 

Many miles away is where Maleficent reappeared. Her minions cheered upon her arrival, yelling and clapping and popping bottles open. Maleficent soaked herself in their praise.

 

“Divial! Send a man to my room! I feel like celebrating!” Maleficent called out drunk on evil. “Oh, oh, send that man I’m fond of, whatshisname, it’s been awhile since I saw him.” She added suggestively.

 

**16-09-24   17:51:19D**

Grimhilde shuffled the food around her plate, debating whether or not she should eat it. On one hand, she was hungry and this was the first time her prisoners provided her with an adequate helping of food her entire stay here. On the other, it wasn’t organic. But she had gotten used to the unhealthy food in the last sixteen years.

 

**Fall, 1994**

Grimhilde watched Maria from the kitchen. She had been talking on the phone with a friend of hers for hours. Grimhilde had to keep an eye on that girl at all times. Unfortunately, Maria took away one of Grimhilde’s ‘eyes’ by covering up her mirrors. Grimhilde hated it for two reasons- one, she couldn’t see if that girl was plotting against her, and two, she did not know how that girl did her makeup without a mirror. She looked prettier and prettier every time she left her room. Grimhilde had contemplated killing the girl many times but she came across a flaw in that plan a month ago.

 

The girl had immortality.

 

Everyone discovered when the family was involved in a car accident on their way to dinner. Leo had died in the operating room (Grimhilde suspected he would have survived if she wasn’t feeding him poison every week so he would die a year after the baby was born), Grimhilde was injured but recovered just fine, but Maria and the baby were both okay. Maria, in fact, was better than okay. The doctors could not find a single thing wrong with her until a Super doctor came in to check on her. Apparently, Maria had died upon arrival but resurrected herself in the ambulance. She came back to life even prettier than when she died. This revelation meant that Grimhilde had to be creative when getting rid of the young girl.

 

Grimhilde looked around the kitchen and grabbed an apple. Apples were Maria’s favorite fruits. She held the apple tightly. Her nails dug into the apple, injecting some arsenic into it. Only a small bit though, the apple already had some arsenic in it and the goal was to put her in a coma not kill her. If she killed the girl, she would only rise up only hours later. Comas last a lot longer than a few hours.

 

“Maria, where are you going?” Grimhilde noticed the girl dressed up and walking out the door. Maria was dressed in a sheer blue blouse, a red lacy bralette under it, yellow high waisted shorts, thigh high shorts, and kitten heels. A very dressy outfit for a Thursday night.

 

“Oh I’m going to a party.” Maria responded.

 

“Oh okay,” Grimhilde blinked a few times. Maria was growing so rebellious as of late. Grimhilde couldn’t stand not being in control of the girl. “Would you like to have a snack before you go?” She held out the apple.

 

“Naw, I can have some chips or something when I get there.” Maria told her.

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“Yeah,” Maria walked out without another word.

 

“That girl…” Grimhilde said darkly and subconsciencly injected more poison into the apple, so much so that the apple rotted in her hand. Grimhilde crushed it in her hand easily as she continued to glare at the door.

 

**17-09-25   17:49:23D**

Jafar stared the the wall opposite his bed. It wasn’t a pretty sight to see, just a plain off-white wall. It matched the ceiling above him. The only things that weren’t white in Jafar’s cell were him and the video camera in the corner. One of the many things Jafar hated about being locked up in prison was the boredom. No guards to talk to, no toys to play with. It was just him, a cot, video surveillance, and an ugly cell. The video camera watching him was fun to look at but only for a while. It was the newest model Jafar had ever seen and he briefly thought of taking it and selling it. But he had no one to sell it to. He only had himself, a cot, an ugly cell, and the video surveillance that would sell for a pretty penny.

 

**Winter, 1991**

Jafar received many gifts from Mr. Bobolonius throughout his employment. One of them happened to be a pin that Mr. Boblonius deemed worthy of regifting. Jafar on the other hand, saw its value and had it ‘enhanced’ with the help of the best man on the Black Market. Jafar was wearing that pin on this sunny Wednesday morning. Scheherazade walked next to him, her sharp heels clacking against the marble floors. Aladdin was behind them, wearing glasses so he could check security systems without drawing attention.

 

The Bank was a dark blue building, with unassuming exterior. It looked far more beautiful on the inside however. The walls were a shining golden color with murals of ancient times decorating the walls. Marble floors shined brightly against the golden lights of the lamps. It reminded Jafar of the fairy tales he used to read Nasira when he was a child.

 

“I am here to see Mr. Bobolonius’s bank account. I need to make a withdrawal.” Jafar told the bank teller.

 

“Can I see ID?” He asked.

 

“Unfortunately no, I’m here on private business.”

 

“Then I cannot allow you to have access to Mr. Bobolonius’s account.”

 

“Shame,” Jafar pressed on his pin and high density kevlar soon covered his body. But that’s not what the bank teller saw. No, he saw something much worse than a man in armor. They saw a cobra miles above them, hissing and fangs dripping with poison. “Don’t press that button,” Jafar said to the shaking bank teller.

 

“Al! Go!” Scherazade yelled as the security came to surround them. Aladdin ran toward the direction of the vaults.

 

Scherazade pulled out her batons from her back and fought security. A hit to one’s shoulder, a knee into their chest, slide over that one’s back and kick his friend in the chest. Hit the knee of the guard to the left of that one, and wrap your legs around his neck to take him down, get off before he can hit the ground so you can jump atop another guard to take him down. Jafar liked watching Scherazade fight, she was methodical in her fighting, but he had to focus on the teller in front of him.

 

“What is the Bobolonius account?” Jafar hissed in his snake form. The bank teller, however, was petrified and unable to talk. Jafar took notice of his brown pants and went back to his human form.

 

“Boblonius account, now!” The bank teller shakily typed in the family’s name.

 

“Account 1432,” He told the man.

 

“That wasn’t so hard was it?” Jafar leaned into his walkie talkie. “Account 1432, Aladdin.” Jafar made sure Aladdin’s name was the only information the bank got.

 

“Got it boss,” Aladdin answered.

 

Jafar waited for Aladdin to come back and for Scherazade to finish her fight with the guards.

 

“You’re taking too long!” Jafar yelled at her.

 

“Well, you’re free to help!” Jafar rolled his eyes at the girl and pressed the button on his suit. He turned into a large spider, scaring even Scheherazade, and climbed over to the guards. He picked one of them up and slammed her body into the other guards. It left a bloody trail from where the guards stood and the wall where the bodies landed.

 

“Jafar,” Scherazade yelled, “He’s getting away!”

 

Jafar turned into the direction where Scheherazade was pointing and saw the bank teller was running to the back of the bank. Jafar turned back into a human.

 

“Aladdin, you’re expecting company!” Jafar yelled into his walkie talkie, “Aladdin, respond!”

 

“What’s wrong with this boy?” Scherazade said. Their question was answered when Aladdin came flying overhead on a carpet.

 

“It was a trap!” The boy called and, as if to prove a point, a flood of blue jewels came rushing from behind that bank. Despite the danger Jafar transformed into a human-sized bird and took a few gems, as well as a golden staff, with him. Aladdin hovered above them with his arm extended. Scherazade was already on the carpet, calling for Jafar. More gold rushed in and the bank teller that escaped was not far behind. No longer was the bank teller shaking with fear but he was a large blue figure with eyes on fire. Jafar was taken aback for a moment but quickly made his way up to the carpet.

 

“Let’s go!” Scherazade screamed. Aladdin obeyed and the carpet flew outside through the double doors.

 

When the trio got outside, the building was surrounded by police and Heroes alike. The police all pointed their guns at them from the ground and the Heroe were flying above the building, their hands glowing and ready to strike.

 

“Plan A is still in effect,” Jafar said as Aladdin stopped the carpet above the Police.

 

“What are you talking about?” Aladdin asked urgently, “We’re surrounded!”

 

Jafar didn’t say anything, letting his actions speak for himself. He pushed Aladdin off the carpet and took control of the carpet, flying away and not bothering to check if Aladdin was alright. There were enough Heroes around that Aladdin would be unharmed from the fall, and if he wasn’t, oh well.

 

“Scher,” Jafar said once they were far from the chaos they created, “Let’s celebrate.”

 

**17-09-25   20:14:07D**

Cruella let the water run over her skin but did not do anything else. She simply stared blankly at the tiles in front of her, taking in shallow breaths.

 

**_Fall, 1998_ **

Cruella stepped down from the stage. Her dream had finally come true- she was now the VP of the the magazine she interned at not one year ago. She worked hard as an intern and if she cut the edges a bit by having the old bat retire early and name her her successor, that was no one’s business but hers.

 

“Cruella!” Anita walked over with a glass in her left hand and a wedding ring on the other.

 

The news Anita wanted to tell her good friend the night Buddy gave Cruella her ‘special glove’ was that she was engaged. Cruella was happy for her friend, tried to set her up with more _accomplished_ men to no avail, even being one of the bridesmaids. She would have been the maid of honor if not for Rodger’s, Anita’s husband, sister. But Cruella had been busy the past year herself so she had no time to plan her friend’s wedding (or arrive on time). Truth be told, Cruella always thought she would get married before Anita. But Cruella was not jealous- she had a fashion industry and Anita had a man child husband. And now Anita was dressing more maturely. Today she wore a patterned jacket with a long silk dress underneath. To match, she wore an emerald colored hijab. It was a far cry from the plaid and checkered prints the year before.

 

“Anita!” Cruella said, pulling the girl in for a hug.

 

“I am so proud of you,” Anita said into Cruella’s ear, “To go from an intern to a big boss in a year is a _major_ step up! That’s so surprising.”

 

Cruella never told Anita that she still saw Buddy more often than her. She didn’t even tell her that Buddy helped her powers grow so powerful that she did not need to touch a person in order to get them to do her bidding. A touch made the effects more powerful than through words but she could still get people to do what she wanted.

 

“No more surprised than I am!” Cruella said, pulling out of the hug.

 

“I always knew you could do it, though,” Anita continued, “You were always the more ambitious one between the two of us. Nothing can stop you.”

 

“Don’t sell yourself short,” Cruella said, “Soon you’ll be editor in chief of this magazine. We will dominate this industry. D & D, just like old times.”

 

Anita laughed and another employee came up to congratulate Cruella. Anita left to mingle with other employees and Cruella did the same. Until her phone rang, of course.

 

“It’s Buddy,” The voice said on the other line.

 

“Do you have more people?” Cruella asked, departing from the room. She wanted to start a new line with the main theme being ‘fur’ but she couldn’t get that unless she had people first. One hundred and one people in fact.

 

“I believe those boy toys of yours’, Horton and Jake or whatever will have them at your place.”

 

“They’d better be clean,” Cruella spat out.

 

“As long as all the money is in my account. I’m leaving for a little trip. Soaking some rays on my private island for the next few months.” Cruella knew what he was getting to. In exchange for her ‘fur’, Cruella would pay him some cash and send one of her new employees, a Super, to his private island. Cruella thought this was a bit much to get the attention of a Super Buddy used to have a crush on but she also didn’t care enough about it to call him out or stop it. She wanted her furs first.

 

“Keep sending deposits while I’m gone.” Buddy said, “The Super can come in November.”

 

“Will do,” Cruella said before hanging up. When she turned around she saw her friend making her way towards her with a smile.

 

“Why are you out in the hallway by your lonesome?” Anita asked, throwing her arm around Cruella’s shoulder, “You are the star of the evening.”

 

****

The guard in the watch tower pressed a button to let the blonde woman outside into the prison. Her face was covered but everyone in the government knew of her. The guard wasn’t sure if he should be scared of her or not but he did know he would be staying out of her way. He only had one hour left in his shift and he wasn’t going to spend it pissing off a higher up.

 

****

 

**2016-09-26    20:34:19E**

Maleficent scrubbed her body clean delicately. She had just come back from a little electroshock therapy so her skin was still soft. The softest part of her skin was the scar on her stomach. It had healed properly but it still hurt when she pressed on it too hard. Maleficent hated that day- it marked the day everything went to shit.

 

**_Spring, 1993_ **

Maleficent sat on her throne of ashes. She refused to pace around. Absolutely refused. She is a Dragon Queen. She has a reputation to uphold. If anyone were to somehow hear of her weakness, the buildings she conquered with thorns, the people she killed, and everything else she worked so hard to destroy would not matter. Her goal of world domination would not matter. The fact she would be giving birth in several months would not matter either. Eventually everyone would be able to defeat her all because she showed the smallest bit of weakness.

 

Maleficent heard the rumours of course. Her henchman can’t keep a secret from her no matter how hard they try. She knew a Hero name of Phillip Costa was out to save Aurora. Apparently her minions weren’t able to wipe out all the heroes rising against her. Not that it was shocking news. They weren’t even able to find a flying school for evil’s sake! But when you wanted a job done right, it had to be done herself. She sent her minions to face the incoming invader and if the foolish Hero was able to fight his way through to her, she would face him alone. She was the Dragon Queen and did not need help. She would die before accepting anyone’s help.

 

Maleficent had a gleeful smile when she heard the sound of her barrier being cut down. She supposed she should have been upset because she spent a lot of magic and time to create her wall of magical thorns but this only told her she was given a worthy Hero to fight. She’s had so many Heroes try and fail to defeat her. It got boring after a while. She raced to the window to find the Latino boy sneaking across the courtyard towards the container she held little Aurora.

 

Maleficent transformed her head into a dragon and blew fire around the courtyard, not quite trapping the boy, just getting his attention. “Where do you think you’re going?” Maleficent called out from her window. Phillip stared up at the woman in horror. “Did you think you could try to save that girl without getting through me first?” She laughed and Philip stood in a fighting stance. His body seemed to glow with green, red, and blue.

 

“Did you have those _fairies_ cast a protection spell on you?” Maleficent laughed and transformed into a dragon. She spread her wings and let out a roar. “Let’s hope you can last longer than the last few heroes. Come and get me little boy!” She flew towards him and he flew to deliver her a punch. It wasn’t very strong and seemed to hurt him more than her.

 

“Looks like their strength spell is getting weak,” Maleficent called out, “Might wanna save your strength before I kill you!”

 

Phillip also seemed to come to the same realization so he threw his sword at Maleficent’s stomach. It went through her stomach and hurt like a bitch but Maleficent felt fine. It was only a momentary setback. A small scratch. Nothing major. Maleficent leaned on a building, breathing hard and rebuilding her strength, while Philip ran to Aurora’s rescue.

 

“Come back you bastard!” Maleficent screamed as she fell down. She was able to get back on her feet though and raced to Aurora’s prison. _“You are showing weakness you dumb bitch!”_ She screamed internally. She shot green fire into the window Philip broke into. Instead of screams of pain Maleficent heard the wind change around her ears. She backed away quickly and forced herself into a fighting stance, ready to spit fire at whoever came out of there.

 

She blew green fire at the incoming couple but they were able to dodge it easily. Aurora held onto Philip's arms who then dropped her. She delivered a punch to the dragoness while Philip grabbed his sword. Phillip flew to the fallen creature to stab her in the chest but Maleficent moved too fast for him. Maleficent knocked him away easily but she still had trouble standing up. Aurora took this opportunity to run towards her, braids whipping behind her, and jumped on top of the villain. Aurora radiated with bright colors and Maleficent found herself almost mesmerized by her killer. Instead of any kind of fear, Maleficent felt at peace. Much like Aurora’s namesake, she was beautiful and enchanting and almost godlike. It was enough to turn for Maleficent to turn back to human. The last thing Maleficent saw was Aurora’s hands creating a bright light. The last thing Maleficent felt was a piping hot pain between her eyes.

 

**_2017-09-25    13:27:43E_ **

Grimhilde sat in her loveseat waiting for Maria to come home. It was past twelve and she still hadn’t arrived. Grimhilde never usually worried about Maria. She was a good girl and always came home by ten.

 

“ _Is this part of her plan?”_ Grimhilde wondered holding her swollen belly, _“Act like a good girl so I can trust her only so she can stab me when I least expect it?”_

 

 _“She would do that,”_ A voice in her head said. Grimhilde reached for her hand held mirror.

 

“Show me Maria.” She asked it. Grimhilde’s reflection rippled away and showed Maria sitting on a couch with several muscular guys. One of them was wearing a purple beanie and a shirt that said ‘Brother Smalls’. They were just talking about something Grimhilde couldn’t hear but she could tell what they were talking about. This was the happiest Grimhilde had ever seen her steph-daughter so she _must_ be plotting to take away Grimhilde’s hard earned fortune.

 

“Where is she?” The image of Maria rippled away and showed Grimhilde a fraternity sign. _“Maria went to a frat house?”_ Grimhilde wondered. It made sense, in a way. Grimhilde used to hang around frat guys when she scouted for potential husbands. Most of the frat guys were very muscular and very, very dumb. Maria wouldn’t need to use a lot of manipulation to convince them to kill someone for her. Just flash them a little leg, some boob and they would be willing to do anything for you.

 

Grimhilde put the mirror down and went to the garage. She climbed into her lamborgini and took a short drive to the frat house. It was a short drive but it was light by the time she got there. The party seemed to be in full swing though. Grimhilde didn’t know how she would fit in with a crowd of non-pregnant young adults. Nor did she know how she could get through the crowd of drunk, smoking teenagers without having it affect her child. _But,_ Grimhilde thought, _My child will have to get used to poison at some point._

 

She rushed into the frat house, careful not to let any of these trash children touch her, and looked for Maria. She found Maria in the frat house comforting another girl on the couch. “ _She probably sent those men to my house to get rid of me,”_ Grimhilde thought bitterly. She looked around her surroundings and went in the direction of the kitchen. Among the field of red solo cups and forgotten cigarettes was one untouched, pure red apple. Grimhilde grabbed it greedily and made her way back to Maria. As she made her way there, Grimhilde injected some poison into it. Grimhilde knew she couldn’t give the girl the apple herself so she handed it to the closest boy she could find. The boy was shorter than her and had a slightly dopey look to his face- in other words, perfect in Grimhilde’s eyes.

 

“Give this apple to that girl,” Grimhilde pointed at her step-daughter, “Make sure she eats it.” And before the guy she handed him a fifty which he gladly accepted.

 

Grimhilde was able to get away from the room but she walked slowly enough that she could hear the screams of horror and panic. People ran past her, not wanting be be seen at the scene of a crime, while Grimhilde just walked confidently letting people part like the red sea for her. Her car was left unharmed and she was able to easily leave without anyone’s notice.

 

 _“I suppose I should act the grieving mother,”_ Grimhilde thought to herself as she pulled into the driveway. She grabbed a hand held mirror and practiced her expressions. Should she be overcome with grief and let sobs wrack her? ( ‘ _Tears work better than makeup wipes.’_ She thought.) Or would that point all fingers to her? Should she allow herself to first be shocked before collapsing into the messenger? Would screaming at them work better? And how would she deal with the aftermath? Lock herself in a room for the next month until her child is born and pretend to move on? What if the press wanted her side of the story? How much do grieving mothers get from reporters? ( _‘I cannot accept less than $100, I can’t,’)_

 

Grimhilde opened the garage and parked the car. She made her way to the bathroom and washed her face of any makeup. ‘I must look as if I have just woken up,’ She thought to herself. The doorbell rang and with a quick splash of water, went to the door. Instead of police or reporters or anyone else Grimhilde would expect to deliver the news about her step-daughter’s ‘accident’, it was the seven frat guys from the party.

 

“We know what you did,” The tallest one said in a threatening voice, “And we’ve come to take you in,”

 

“What did I do?” Grimhilde asked, frightened.

 

“You were the lady who paid me to poison that girl!” The guy in the purple beanie shouted.

 

“I did nothing of the sort!” Grimhilde defended, “If you don’t get off my property right now, I’ll call the cops!” She tried to close the door but an angry looking boy stopped it with his foot.

 

“You are trespassing!” She shrieked trying to push the boy away in vain. He did not move his foot, insteading pushing the door open easily. Grimhilde ran away from her angry mob. She ran up the stairs with the boys not too far behind. She was able to make it to her room in time to lock the door. She sat on her bed, taking in a breath of relief but the door knob soon began to jiggle open. Grimhilde back away as the boys tried to get it open. Eventually it was kicked down by the same boy who forced his way into her house and Grimhilde was forced to run.

 

She ran to the master bathroom and briefly considered hiding in the walk in closet it was connected to but she knew they would trap her there. Seeing no other escape, she opened the window and began to climb up the vines that made its way up her house. For once she was grateful for the ugly, wild creatures. To ensure her safety, Grimhilde conjured up some toxins that melted part of the ledge with a low hiss and some smoke. Grimhilde began climbing up to the roof, the boys shouting from the window.

 

 _“I’m almost to the roof,”_ Grimhilde thought cheerfully. But no sooner did the thought cross her mind that her foot got caught. She tried to get it out up between balancing herself on the side of the house, the new weight of her child, and herself, she could not hold on for any longer. The final straw however, was when her hand that held her to the house was struck by a baseball. Grimhilde fell from the house until she heard a crack and saw darkness.

 

**_2017-09-25   17:19:42E_ **

Jafar could not help but get used to his new environment. He prided himself on being highly adaptable and unfortunately it applied to terrible conditions like the dimly lit prison he was in. He wouldn’t be surprised if he were transferred to a worse one though. Jafar never bragged about it out loud- too much - but he was a notorious villain until his downfall.

 

**Summer, 1994**

Jafar put young Jadiir in his crib without making a single sound. He had been taking care of Jadiir the entire day. He even had to change his _diapers._ But despite that, Jafar was proud of his son. The boy was not yet two days old but already he was showing himself to be an even better man than his father. It was a shame Jafar would never know how great of a person his son would become.

 

“Hey babe,” Scheherazade strolled in.

 

“Where were you?” Jafar asked.

 

“Freeing this poor jewel from captivity,” She purred showing off the green gem in her hands. It was pretty, probably worth a good million or so but nothing worth risking her health for. She was still weak from delivering a baby less than 48 hours ago.

 

“You should have been resting,” Jafar said. “You could have gotten caught.”

 

“But I didn’t,” She said with a pointed finger and a smile. “Do you hear sirens heading our way?”

 

Jafar, did in fact, hear sirens but they were faint. It was to be expected in the neighborhood they were laying low in. Jafar hoped with all the thieving he was doing he would be in a much better neighborhood. One without a murder of the week perhaps.

 

“I know your abilities make you a great thief but you should have waited,”

 

“We have clients who don’t like to be kept waiting,” Scherazade said as she ate some crackers they left out.

 

Jadiir began crying and Jafar loudly cursed. “It’s your turn to tend to your son,” He said.

 

“ _Fine,”_ She said before walking into their son’s room. “But first thing in the morning we’re taking him to an orphanage. He doesn’t need to be part of our world.”

 

“Agreed,” Jafar said taking a seat at the dinner table. The spreadsheets for the next bank were in front of him. He heard rumours about a few prized family heirlooms. These artifacts granted the users with the ability to remain invisible for hours at a time. They would come in handy for bigger heists. Jafar reached for his tea but accidently knocked it on the floor.

 

Except it never made it to the ground.

 

The tea cup’s contents spilled out of the cup but stayed suspended in the air. Jafar found himself unable to move as well. The only thing that could move was his eyes. Jafar looked around the room to find a blue light freezing everything in place. Jadiir even stopped crying. _This must be the cops,_ Jafar thought, _Damn you Scheherazade._ Jafar’s heart beat slower and slower. The ray felt cold, colder than anything he had ever known. Jafar’s heart beat even slower…

 

Until it stopped.

 

Along with everyone in the house’s heart as well.

 

**_2017-09-25   18:19:47E_ **

Cruella was wheeled to her cell. She felt dizzy from all the medicine they gave her. Some of it was a bitter liquid, others were plain pills she had to dry swallow, and the rest were injections. Cruella tried concentrating on the space in front of her but it all changed so much.

 

“My head hurts,” She slurred to the orderly. “Anita… Can you get me some… some… some liquid ice. Liquid clouds. H20. Water! Get me water!”

 

“Will do,” The orderly responded in monotone. They arrived in her cell and the orderly unstrapped her. Cruella was gently laid onto the bed.

 

“Thank you Anita.” Cruella said into her pillow.

 

**_Winter, 1998_ **

“Cruella! This is crazy!” Anita yelled at her friend as she tried to get out of Cruella’s car. The two of them were on their way to the mall to look for a present for her and Roger’s upcoming wedding anniversary when the radion reported Cruella as a criminal in charge of dognapping and illegal fur farming and animal abuse violations. Cruella was glad no one knew the truth but still quickly changed the channel but Anita still heard it and begged to be let out.

 

“No, it’s not,” Cruella argued with her. “Come on you’ve got to believe me. Anita stay with me please.” Cruella took her eyes off the road to stare at her friend. Anita’s eyes were wide and her skin was pale. “We have always been by each other’s side- ever since preschool. Remember? We always sat next to each other because of our names and our teachers always called us D & D, the dynamic duo.”

 

“This isn’t school anymore.” Anita cried as she tried to open the door. Her hijab was coming undone and her mouth was open.

 

“But you’re still my best friend.” Cruella insisted. Anita quietly dialed 911 on her phone so they could hear the conversation. “You have to be here for me.” she said much more quietly.

 

“Cruella please just let me go,” Anita banged on the window. “CRUELLA LET ME GO!”

 

“Fine,” Cruella slammed on the brakes and Anita hit the dashboard. “Get out, I don’t need you anymore. I have real friends I could be asking.” Anita opened the car door but didn’t get out.

 

“Where are you going to go? C, Buddy is dead.” Anita stared at her friend.

 

“No he’s not he’s right there!” She pointed to the side of the road where there was nothing but trees and snow.

 

“Cruella…” Anita said worried about her friend’s health. Cruella’s mental health had been getting worse and according to Anita’s therapist friend, Cruella may have a real mental illness.

 

“Why are you still HERE?” Cruella screamed and pushed Antia out the door. “Buddy come on!”

 

Anita got up to her feet and tried to talk to her friend. But Cruella sped off before she could and without bothering to close the car door. Anita watched as Cruella drove fast into the street. She ran a red light and--

 

By the time the paramedics came she was dead. Anita cried for days.

 

****

A blonde, middle aged nurse walked around the surgery room. Everything was clean and in its place. A remarkable feat for a room dedicated to operating on the wild villains. The nurse remembered what they were like when they all ‘woke’. All angry and disoriented. They were all probably still the same. _“At least I don’t have to deal with them on a daily basis.”_ She thought looking at the silver lining.

****

**2017-09-26**

All four of the villains laid on medical beds, waiting for the blonde woman. They all remembered her, the first face they saw when they ‘woke up’. Like most government employees, they didn’t know how to feel about her. They had varying opinions about her over the years, most of them anger, some of it sadness. Being resurrected wasn’t a fun experience for anyone, least of all anyone who had to serve prison time.

 

**_January, 2000_ **

Maleficent opened her eyes with a large gasp. She took in deep, long breaths and tried to figure out what was going on. The last thing she remembered was what she originally thought was death. Now, looking around this bright white room she wasn’t so sure.

 

“Where am I?” She called out. The rest of her henchmen were all waking up as well, as disoriented as her. Maleficent was not familiar with where she was and she looked around the brightly, dull room in panic.

 

“Hello?” Divial called out. Maleficent noticed for the first time there was a heart rate monitor connected to her chest and to a machine next to her. Her heart was beating erratically and she willed herself to calm down. Her minions can _not_ see her panic.

 

A blonde woman in a nurse’s uniform walked in with a face that revealed nothing.

 

“What’s going on?” One of the henchmen asked in a small voice.

 

The nurse turned to him. “Please stay calm,” She said as if reading off an index card, “You have all been resurrected from the dead.”

 

Maleficent, for once in her life, was at a loss for words. She had never heard of any necromancer being able to do this for this many people.

 

“How?” Was all she was able to ask.

 

The nurse turned to her with a face that made it seem like she smelled something disgusting. “The government believes you should all serve time for the crimes you have committed.”

 

“Why can’t you just let us stay dead?” Another henchmen asked.

 

“The government believes it is the right thing to do,” The nurse said not taking her eyes off the green eyed Villain, “When they believe you have finished your time and are innocent of your crimes, you will be freed.”

 

“Well, then I’ll never be free,” Maleficent said from her bed, “I am the greatest villain of all time and I revel in everything I had done. I’m glad I did the things that I did.”

 

The nurse said nothing and Maleficent’s henchmen looked at the scene in nervousness.

 

Maleficent wasn’t going to take that attitude lying down. She jumped out of her bed and on weak legs, marched in front of the nurse with her finger pointing at her. “Tell your boss to let me go or-”

 

Maleficent didn’t get to finish her sentence because she soon found herself in the arms of the nurse- literally. The nurse’s arms wrapped around Maleficent’s small frame, only realising her once she was over her bed. Maleficent’s minions swallowed in fear.

 

“You’re having a child,” The nurse said, still not showing any emotion, but she reveled in Maleficent’s shocked expression, “So I won’t count your hormonal imbalance against you in court.”

 

The nurse turned to face the entire room. “You will all be transferred to a different location and stripped of your powers in two hours. Any attempt to escape will be futile and your sentence will be longer.” And with that, the nurse was gone.

 

The rest of the people in the room continued to stare at Maleficent with pity. Which she hated.

 

“Everyone stop!” She screamed.

 

**_January, 2000_ **

Grimhilde woke up with a yawn and a major headache. She looked around the room and saw that she recognized absolutely nothing about her surroundings. It wasn’t even a room she could see herself checking into drunk because it looked like a hospital. God, what was the last thing she remembered?

 

Maria went to a party and hadn’t returned by the time it was twelve o’clock. It was odd because Maria was usually well behaved and would get home before ten. But she had been acting weird! Yes, Maria was plotting against her with her friends so Grimhilde went looking for her the next day. One of Maria’s friend’s mother told her that they had went to a frat party at the local college. Grimhilde went there and… Oh what did she do? It was starting to get a little hazy. Um… Yes, she found Maria in the frat house comforting another girl. Grimhilde grabbed the… Apple, yes apple, off of the counter and injected some arsenic into it. Grimhilde forgot what happened next but Maria ate it and fell into a deep coma. She was left on the ground as Grimhilde got away. But someone saw her and when they found Maria on the floor, they immediately connected the dots. Grimhilde got to her house and practiced acting the grieving mother until a group, about six or seven men, barged into her house. She tried to escape by climbing to the roof but her rounded stomach threw off her balance and she…. Grimhilde remembered nothing but darkness.

 

A nurse came in. “Hello, do you know your name?”

 

“I’m Grimhilde Blancho,” Grimhilde responded. Her tongue felt gross, heavy, and unused in her mouth.

 

“Good,” The nurse said standing at the foot of her bed. “I’m going to tell you some news and I hope you will act rationally about it. No theatrics of any kind, please.”

 

 _An odd quest, but okay. I can play her silly game._ “Tell me. Was I involved in some kind of accident?”

 

The nurse gave a quick smile. “Of sorts. You died.”

 

Grimhilde’s eyes grew wide. Did she develop a new power? No, that’s not possible. “Sorry?”

 

“You died in 1994 by falling off the side of your house.” The nurse said. Grimhilde took a moment to process this information.

 

“You say 1994 like it’s been a while. What’s the date?”

 

“Please stay calm.” The nurse said. “It’s 2000.”

 

“What?” Grimhilde shrieked. “Why am I back after six years?”

 

“You have been found guilty of attempting to murder your step daughter and are going to be punished for your crimes.”

 

“I did nothing wrong!”

 

“The jury and your step daughter say otherwise. Now please cease your hysterics or I will be forced to restrain you.” Grimhilde eyed the woman. Very skinny, average height, dull blonde hair. She didn’t look like a super so Grimhilde attacked her. She lunged for the nurse’s neck but the nurse seemed to anticipate this response as her arms stretched out and restrained Grimhilde’s body to the bed. She tried to get out of the nurse’s grasp but Grimhilde knew she wasn’t going anywhere.

 

“I understand your brain is still developing so I will not count this act of primitive violence against you in court.” The nurse’s grip slowly loosened. “You will stay in this room for a few more hours before you will be taken into your new living arrangements.”

 

“Taken away? To where?” Grimhilde asked desperately. She’s heard about prison and she didn’t think she could survive an hour in there.

 

“There’s a neighborhood where people like you can raise their families away from the rest of society.” The nurse’s arms were now at her sides. “However, we will be willing to schedule another trial if the government and court believes you have had good behavior. You will be provided with an attorney if you cannot find one. If the government believes you have misbehaved, you will spend the rest of your days there and raise your child.”

 

“My child?” For the first time Grimhilde looked at her body. Her stomach was still as round as the day she died. For once, the woman didn’t mind. It meant her child was still a part of her. Her darling child, her and Leo’s child.

 

“Yes.” The nurse said simply. “You’re having a girl in case you didn’t know.”

 

A girl? It’s what she’s always wanted. A healthy, beautiful girl who would inherit her beauty. Grimhilde hugged her stomach tightly. But… She would have to raise her herself? In some ghetto?

 

“Can you take my daughter? When she’s born that is. I don’t want her to pay for my sins.”

 

“Raising your daughter is part of the punishment.”

 

“She deserves to live somewhere better!” Grimhilde argued.

 

“And who do you think will take her in? You are the last living member of your family and I doubt the step daughter will take in the child of the woman who tried to kill her.”

 

“Please just find her a home,” Grimhilde pleaded, “With anyone but me.”

 

“No.” It was the nurse’s final word before walking out the door. Grimhilde was left to hold her belly and cry. She tried to provide her daughter with a good home but that plan completely backfired in her face. But she was Grimhilde Blancho. And this was her daughter. She would raise her daughter to be a better woman than her mother ever was. She would grow up to be so beautiful rich men would throw themselves at her feet and give her diamond rings every time she so much as looked in their direction.

 

**_January, 2000_ **

Jafar woke up with a terrible headache. He held his head as he sat up. He was in a white room, though to some surprise, he was not alone. His son was in an incubator on the left side of his bed. His son was sleeping soundly for once, his chest the only thing moving to breathe. Scherazade was opposite of Jafar, her face slightly burnt but rapidly healing. By the time her entire body was clear of any burn marks, she was awake and gasping for air. The white door slid open and a blonde woman walked in.

 

“Hello,” She said simply, “Do you know your names?”

 

“My name is Jafar,” He spoke up, “Who are you?”

 

“And do you know your name, miss?”

 

“I’m Cheryl,” Scherazade lied. The blonde woman simply raised a brow and reached into her pocket. She took out a walkie talkie looking device and spoke a few words Jafar could not hear. Immediately, four men came in with armor on and took Scherazade away. Despite her screaming, Jadiir did not wake up.

 

“Thank you for not lying to me,” The blonde said.

 

“Where did you take her?” Jafar asked when he found his voice.

 

“Somewhere safe.” The blonde did not elaborate, “You died. All three of you died.”

 

It was like ripping off a band aid, the way she said it. Quick and without mercy.

 

 _“She’s probably done this a hundred times today,”_ Jafar thought.

 

“Why are we back here then? Is this the afterlife?” Jafar looked around. He never paid much attention to his parents when they talked about religion but he never imagined four white walls to be one of Allah’s creations.

 

“No, the government has come to the decision of bringing all the villains and their associates back to life so they may serve the rest of their sentence.”

 

“Our associates?”

 

“People like your family, or any of your henchmen will live with you in a special neighborhood until the government thinks you have served enough time.”

Jafar looked at his baby boy. “My son will have to go to

 

“As will your sister and other gang members. But they are guilty of more than having you as an associate.”

 

“That’s not fair!” As he said this, Jafar knew it was an ironic thing to come from him.

 

“Neither were your ‘get rich quick’ schemes,” The blonde looked at the watch behind her, “You will be transported to the Neighborhood in thirty minutes.”

 

“Can you take my son? I wanted to put him in an orphanage,” Jafar pleaded. The blonde simply shook her head and left. Jafar looked at Jadiir and wondered if there were any orphanages in this new neighborhood.

 

**_February, 2000_ **

It had been a month since every villain in recent history was sent to live in this god awful neighborhood. One month and Cruella still had not gotten used to the garbage food they were given once a month. One month and Cruella still was not used to having to clean her own home. One month and Cruella still could not get her neighbors to stop their racquet at night. One month and Cecil, Cruella’s brother, would not stop blaming her for his life going to shit. One month later and Cruella was still living in shit. She didn’t even have any fur to comfort her. Oh how she needed the soft fur to comfort her skin, to warm her body and protect it from the freezing February air.

 

A knock interrupted her thoughts and she walked to the door in the red heels she was killed in to answer the door. On the other side was a man she recognized from TV.

 

“Gaston?” Cruella asked. He used to be a handsome hero, tall and muscular. Gaston was still all those things but somehow also older. More tired. Like the rest of Cruella’s neighbors, dying took a lot out of him.

 

“Cruella,” He said in a voice that sounded like he was trying to be charming, “I heard you are a fan of furs.”

 

It was like God had sent her an angel in a red muscle shirt. “Yes,” She answered trying to play it cool, “I love fur.”

 

“Well, I am starting a business. A hunting business so I can use my God given talents. I would be willing to skin you some fur…” His eyes did not leave Cruella’s chest.

 

“For what price?”

 

“How much are those pearls worth?” He pointed to her chest. _These pearls are worth more than your life,_ Cruella wanted to say. Then she had an idea. She saw how the government favored families.

 

“I think I can trade you something else,” Cruella said as she began to unbutton her shirt. She didn’t show off much, because Cruella was a lady first and foremost, but Gaston was able to see the top her lacy bra that was red as sin.

 

“I think I’ll have to accept,” Gaston walked into her house and slammed the door, pushing Cruella onto the wooden floors.

 

 _“He’s not Usher,”_ thought Cruella, _“But if he provides me with a child, he’ll be even better.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed this, I had fun writing it but don't be afraid to call be out on any errors I made. This was long but hopefully fun to read. I had a hard time writing for Maleficent and Jafar but Grimhilde and Cruella were my favorites to write about. (Also Cruella might come across as having feelings for Anita but I don't like Cruella so she's straight in this fic.) I imagine Emeraude Toubia as Grimhilde and Anita is Muslim because I said so.
> 
> Anyway, please leave comments and kudos below if you want the next chapter to come soon. All the VKs will be back and as evil (and gay) as ever.


	20. Road Blocks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The VKs need to revise their original plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for the long wait. I have a whole bunch of excuses I know you don't care for so here's the chapter! Hopefully the next one will be out sooner.

Evie likes her reflection in mirrors. Partially out of vanity but mostly out of curiosity. She likes watching how her face can change with the slightest of movements. Even the smallest of shifts can alter her face completely. A smile too big makes her lips look thinner. If she tilts her head to the right and purses her lips, her face looks rounder. Suck in her cheeks and raise her head up high and she appears taller. She doesn’t even need makeup to change herself. Evie prides herself on controlling each and every one of her muscles. When her mother gave her her first mirror, she spent countless hours changing her face and coming up with new identities for each one. If she wanted, she could run away and live her life as a new person with puffed cheeks and her hair tied back and no one would be any wiser.

 

Evie knows what each boy in her neighborhood likes about her. Anthony likes her when she looks kind and matronly, round face and rosy cheeks. Diego likes her with skinny cheeks and hard eyes so she looks like other girls. Ace likes her with thin lips and her head tilted to the right. Jay liked her head held up high with a devious smirk upon her face. Carlos liked her face best when it was serene. When Clover felt like being a boy, he liked her when her lips were crafted into a cunning smirk. It worked on other girls as well. Ginny liked her face hard and eyes narrow with deceit. Diamond liked Evie’s hair pulled back and high cheekbones. Harriet likes Evie with thicker lips crafted into a smirk. Whenever Evie wanted something from them- food, clothes, a practice dummy -she would mold her face into the one she knew they liked best. She prided herself on controlling each and every one of her movements and features in their presence. 

 

The one person Evie failed to control herself around time and time again was the one person she was forced to hang out with, though she would never complain about it. She felt that this person had put her under a spell so she could never fully control herself around her. Powers were greatly weakened in their neighborhood but Evie knew this girl was powerful enough to enchant her. 

 

Mal.

 

The very mention of her name made the lower half of Evie’s face break into a smile. Her stomach was filled with warm butterflies fluttering around, trying to break free and go to the lovely girl. Evie couldn’t couldn’t tone down the brightness in her eyes whenever Mal spoke passionately. When this first started to happen to Evie, she hated Mal for breaking her. Each person in their neighborhood had their own ways of survival and putting on a mask and battering her eyes was Evie’s way. To have her method weaken because of Mal’s presence was at first a burden on Evie. But Evie soon learned to like it. Evie knew she had a crush on her best friend, there was no denying that, and the feelings she got when she was around her filled Evie with joy. Happiness was a rare thing to come by for VKs and Evie cherished every moment Mal was around her. But, Evie also knew she had a duty to her mother as well as herself to land a rich man. And as powerful as Mal is, she could not provide Evie and her mother with what they need. So Evie put her feelings for the powerful girl on pause, letting it take a back seat to her priority of getting a rich man to free her and her mother.

 

Which was easier said than done when her crush was not two feet away from her, looking absolutely serene in her sleep. The only thing that stopped Evie form waking her good friend up was the voice of her mother in the back of her head  _ (‘Forget the girl and focus on that Chad boy!’)  _ and Dizzy’s sleeping body snuggled closely against her. Evie was glad she had Dizzy. Not only to hold her back from doing something she would regret but also give Evie’s heart a different reason to flutter. Turning away from Mal’s untroubled body, Evie looked at Dizzy’s still features. 

 

_ “When I get my rich husband,”  _ Thought Evie,  _ “After I take care of myself and my mother, I will take care of you.” _

 

Then Evie looked back at Mal.  _ “I hope I overcome the spell you have put me under so I can do just that.” _

 

****

In the morning, Jay walked topless to where the guards had provided them with breakfast. While it was not the fanciest or even the best of breakfasts, the smell alone was enough to fill Jay’s Jay’s stomach. The breakfast line hadn’t gotten too long yet, only twenty people, but Jay was too hungry to wait in line. He teleported in front of the next person in line- ignoring their protests and threats- to get breakfast and, grabbed the serving spoon before they could. Soon his plate was filled with eggs and rice and waffles. He ignored the bacon because he was unsure of whether or not he was allowed to eat it. Mal, Evie, and Carlos weren’t out yet so Jay sat by himself which, he supposed, was a good thing. He practically inhaled everything on his plate, scarfing down even the smallest of crumbs. It had to be the best thing Jay had ever put into his mouth in the morning. He could practically hear Evie making reprimanding his behavior and see Mal and Carlos making fun of the way he ate with his mouth open. But as he looked around, most of the other kids ate like he did. Jay wasn’t surprised though. The government didn’t provide them with enough food the night before, severely underestimating the number of kids who needed food, nor did the government ever give them enough food to begin with. Most of the kids that were awake were young, and not used eating good food, while the kids who Jay went to school with were not as fortunate as him in the theft department and were deprived of the good cafeteria food. A small part of Jay was happy the people in his neighborhood were treated to a good meal just this once though. A larger part of him wanted to go back up for seconds.

 

Jay finished his meal and teleported to the showers. After he finished washing up, he walked to the girls’ room. He opened the door and took the towel off his head, shaking his wet hair all over the sleeping girls.

 

“What the fuck?” Mal screamed, now waking up.

 

“Seriously Jay?” Evie asked rising from her spot in bed, “It’s too early to deal with this shit.”

 

Jay gave them an incredulous look, “It’s eight in the morning. Evie, we once had a sleepover and you woke up at  _ four _ to do your makeup. Mal, you once threw  _ ice _ at me so I would wake up at six a.m. Dizzy,” He pointed at the girl, “You’re probably not growing any taller so you don’t need sleep that much.”

 

Mal threw her pillow at the boy. “Get the fuck out! Go bother Carlos or something!” She grumbled, pulling the blanket over her head.

 

Jay ducked and sat on laid on top of Mal. Mal immediately started kicking him off the bed but Jay didn’t budge. “He’s not back from his surgery or whatever yet and I’m so bored.”

 

“Like we said,” Evie responded, annoyed, “Go bother someone else. I’m sure Harry is getting bored just about now.”

 

“Naw, he’s busy with Anthony right now,” 

 

“What is my cousin doing up so early?” Dizzy asked, sitting up.

 

“The pigs are serving us breakfast. The line’s getting pretty long and I’m sure they won’t have much food left.” 

 

Dizzy immediately threw the covers off and ran to the direction of the food. Evie didn’t bother moving, she felt that if she ate she wouldn’t be able to control herself and gain some weight. Her dress was already tight enough and she didn’t know the next time she would get new clothes. Mal on the other hand flipped the blanket off her face and gave the most serious look she could give with bed head.

 

“We need to talk, Jay go close the door.” Mal said sitting up. When Jay did not move she pushed him until he got onto his feet. “The game has changed now and our strategy has to as well.”

 

“Are there any monitors in here?” Evie asked looking around the room.

 

“No, I checked after you and Dizzy went to bed.”

 

“So what do we do now?” Jay asked, leaning against the door. “What about Carlos?”

 

“First we need to find out where they’re hiding our parents.” Mal said, ignoring Jay’s second question. “Our end game is freeing them and we can’t do that when they’re MIA.”

 

“I’ll try to get the guards to tell us,” Evie said, “If my charms don’t work, I’ll form a riot.”

 

“Your charms never fail,” Jay said reassuringly.

 

“We’ll have to do most of the planning in school, where there’s no guards lurking about, watching our every move.” Mal continued, “We can stay there after hours and pretend we’re doing extracurriculars or something.”

 

“That won’t work,” Jay said, “Headmistress has me and Carlos on the Lacrosse team. That’s on the ground. We can’t stay at school.”

 

“Figure a way to get out of it then,” Mal said, “Do I have to think of everything?”

 

_ “You seem to be doing that already,” _ Jay thought grouchily. “Shouldn’t we wait for Carlos?” 

 

“If you can find him but if he went through surgery, he might not be ready to do it. How long does it take to recover?” Mal asked to the two.

 

“Umm, depends on if it’s a Super or a Civilian doing the surgery. If it’s a Super, then he’ll be ready to go in a week, two weeks tops. A Civilian surgery might takes months to recover from.” Evie answered.

 

“Let’s hope a Super did it then. If not, we’ll have to find someone to replace him.” Jay and Evie’s eyes narrowed at the thought. Mal yawned and stretched her arms, “What’s today?”

 

Jay tried to think. “It’s Monday. Next week is the field trip.”

 

“Right,” Mal licked her lips, “You guys paid and all right?”

 

“Yeah it’s all done with,” Evie said.

 

“Good, we really need to check that place out.” Mal threw her covers off her and swung her legs over the bed and swung them back and forth. “You mentioned food?”

 

“Yeah but you’d better get going, they might run out like last time,” Jay responded jumping on Mal’s cot once she got up.

 

“You’re getting it wet!” Mal screeched.

 

“Let’s go get that food now,” Evie told Mal as she started to pull her away while also giving Jay a ‘WTH’ look.

 

“Later,” Jay waved as the door girls left the room. Evie popped her head back in.

 

“Can you look for Carlos while we’re gone? See how long his recovery will be?”

 

“Yeah,” Jay responded, reclining back onto the cot. “I’ll get to it.” Evie rolled her eyes.

 

“Now.” Evie said to the boy before leaving for good.

 

****

After they were finished getting their breakfast food, Evie and Mal sat with their allies to discuss business. The most prominent being, the Millers. The three Miller siblings looked well rested in comparison to their peers even though they were still dressed in their pajamas from two days ago and Diamond was missing her prosthetic hand. But the two girls were not there to discuss how well they were being treated by guards, they were here to discuss business. Without so much as a hello, Evie and Mal sat down across from them and went straight to the point.

 

“Have you three discussed what you’re doing about your after  _ school job _ ?” Evie asked them. Ace easily caught her drift- because as vain as Evie could be she wasn’t interested in the salon- as he eyed the adults in the room.

 

“We’ve made some modifications to our policy since the last time we spoke to Mal,” Ace said not taking his eyes off the guard approaching the table. “We’ll still provide her with the special manicures but we’re thinking of hiring new people who might need some extra cash now that there’s no adults around.”

 

When the guard passed their table, Diamond spoke up in a low voice. “We’re going to expand some of our  _ nail polish  _ brands too.”

 

Mal raised a brow. “What do you mean?” She was starting to get irritated by all the code words everyone was using.

 

“We’re expanding our business to start selling some prescription pills.” Diamond replied in a lower voice. Clover elbowed her and Diamond sat straight up before the guard walking behind them could notice.

 

“Why?” Mal asked. She thought all their designer drugs were going great. Even the classic ones were doing fine amongst the older crowd (though with all the adults gone, that business venture may tank soon). “Why the sudden change?”

 

“Must everything be so antiquated with you people?” Ace asked. Evie would have pouted but he had a point- world domination was a habit of the older generation. A part of Evie had hoped Mal would grow up with a better plan in mind but she was too much like her mother. “Talk to some of the Hero Kids. They’re our new clients now.”

 

“I was talking with some chick in one of my classes and she wouldn’t touch any of the coke I was selling her,” Clover said. “But she did ask me later if I could get her some Oxy. Diamond pulled a few strings and she was able to get the girl what she wanted. Now we’ve got some people lining up to buy a whole bunch of stuff from us.”

 

“Impressive.” Mal took a bite of her pancake. Her mind started to wander to her mother.

 

“It’s called being flexible.” Diamond answered darkly. But Mal wasn’t listening, she had other things on her mind.

 

“What she means is,” Ace gave a look to his sister, “It’s easier to convince the goody-two shoes Hero kids that these things are safer than what their anti-drug program shows them.”

 

“Do you still have your old stuff? Is it on you?” Evie asked when Mal gave no response.

 

“No, it’s all locked up in our vault at home,” Clover answered before leaning in and telling her in a deep voice “I don’t know what these people plan on doing to us but I- we need to make sure our business is still safe.”

 

“If they find our drugs our mom gets sentenced another life in that neighborhood. And so do we by default,” Diamond said.

 

Mal seemed to have come back to her senses by then. “And how is that my problem? Why can’t you ask Anthony or Uma or Maddy?”

 

“Do alliances mean anything to you?” Diamond asked. She was hoping they would have each other’s backs until they were older and more powerful and could destroy each other on equal footing.

 

“You’re basically our queen,” Ace told her, getting desperate, “You rule our neighborhood. You’re supposed to lead us into a better future where we are the villains. Everyone looks up to you. How can we be villains if they don’t let us out?” Mal scoffed at Ace’s thought. The boy could be such a kiss ass at times.

 

Ace’s features darkened and he leaned forward. “You don’t think no one in this neighborhood has a clue what your mom does? She’s not the most subtle of people, Mal. Everyone knows she’s thinking up a plan and even though I don’t know what it is, I know she’s got you involved. You always were begging for her attention.” He spat out. Diamond put a hand on his shoulder to try and get him to calm down but the dark skinned boy was on a role. “If the the government can find our drugs, they sure as hell can find out whatever hell you and your mother plan on unleashing. You’ll be taken down with her, sentenced two lives in the shithole we call a neighborhood.”

 

Mal showed no emotion but Evie could tell she had something cooking in her mind. She didn’t have to be a mind reader to know that Ace was going to pay for his disrespect towards the purple haired girl.

 

“What do you want me to do about  _ our _ problem?”

 

“You help us or we tell the guards what you’re up to.” Ace said, leaning back into his seat. He ignored the looks his sisters gave him. Both girls looked ready to kill their brother.

 

“I’m already having Evie come up with a plan to form a riot if we don’t get answers,” Mal said taking a sip of her water, “Our end goal is having the guards let us go back to our homes to pick stuff up and tell us what’s going on with our parents.”

 

“Thank you.” Diamond told her genuinely, “I’m so sorry for my brother’s attitude towards you.”

 

“Just stay quiet.” Mal told the three of them. She took her tray of half eaten food and left the table. Evie followed her.

 

“Evie I’m tired. Can you gather up some info?” Evie didn’t like it when Mal spoke like this. It was so… formal. Like Evie was one of her henchmen or another sidekick she would get rid of later. It sent an uneasy feeling to the taller girl’s stomach. She hated Mal at times like these.

 

“No problem,” She put her hand on Mal’s shoulder, “Listen, the Millers won’t talk. They talk big game but they don’t have it in them to go against you. You’re too powerful. You would obliviate them in a blink of an eye and they know that.”

 

Mal gave Evie a look that said ‘are you done?’ but Evie knew she really appreciated it and needed to hear it.

 

“Glad you’re on my side.” Mal said before leaving the room with her plate.


End file.
